AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter is rated M.

Chapter 21

DARK SIDE

Zed shivered as he sat on the rooftop waiting. It had been nearly an hour since his set had ended. "Well..." he whispered to himself, "Maybe her 'We'll see...' really was a 'no'." His phone buzzed in his pocket.

"Hey Bonz," he said as he answered it.

"Yo, Z… we're all loaded up and ready to go. You and Addison might want to start making your way down here," Bonzo whispered.

Zed ran his hand through his hair. "I'll be right down, but Adds was a no show."

The line was silent except for the sounds of Bonzo opening the door of the bus. "What do you mean she was a no show?" he asked a little louder now that he was away from everyone.

"She's not up here. I figured she was on the bus with everyone else."

"Dude… she's not here. Bucky has been trying to get in touch with her for the last twenty minutes."

Zed jumped to his feet. "Does Tracey know where she is?"

"No, man. Bucky already asked him."

"I'm on my way down..." He hung up and flung the door open, taking the stairs two at a time. He didn't stop running until he was back outside in the back parking lot where the bus was parked. He took a moment to collect himself and calm the rising panic he felt in his chest before casually strolling towards the bus. He stopped when he heard Bucky's voice coming from the rear of the bus.

"Oh thank fuck, Addison! Where the hell are you?" Bucky whisper yelled into the phone.

Zed quietly peered around the corner, to find Bucky pacing back and forth behind the bus.

"Why the fuck are you at the Ritz! We're supposed to be driving tonight! We have a show tomorrow! How could you flake out on me?!… I swear to Christ if you're…."

Zed watched as Bucky stopped pacing.

"What do you mean look at the date?" He pulled his phone away, his face falling almost instantly. "Shit...I'm sorry, Adds...I didn't even realize…no...I'm fine… I just..." He took a deep breath and leaned his head against the back of the bus. "I can't believe I didn't notice… No, absolutely not! I'm not letting you pay for the missed show. No…." Bucky let out a loud sigh. "Fine...I'll see you Sunday morning." He hung up the phone and slid down to the ground, cradling his head in his hands.

Zed quietly walked back towards the bus and climbed on board.

"Band meeting!" Bucky called out as he opened the door.

Zed looked up from his phone. "What's up, B?"

He sighed and shook his head as he climbed up the bus steps. "I'll tell you as soon as everyone else gets in here…. BAND MEETING! HELLOOOOO!"

Everyone else slowly gathered in the front of the bus around him.

"Casey has a 24-hour bug... She's at urgent care now. They said she shouldn't travel," Bucky lied smoothly.

"What?!" Lacey yelled, standing up and walking towards him. "We have a gig tomorrow!"

"I know, I know...but we need to cancel."

They all groaned.

"You'll still get paid for it, I'm taking care of it, okay," Bucky offered, trying to calm them.

Zed stood up and stretched. "So, we have the night off?"

"Yeah...We're here until Sunday morning at least."

"Good deal. I'm out," he said grabbing his jacket.

"Where are you going?" Eliza asked looking over to him.

He shrugged. "For a walk?… Take in some sites...Don't know, yet."

"Stay out of trouble, please," Bucky whined. "I have enough shit to deal with."

"Sure thing, Boss," he said with a salute.

When he stepped into the cold night air he shivered and zipped his black leather jacket as he walked to the front of the club and towards the waiting Uber he had already called.

Zed strode across the impressive lobby of the Downtown Ritz Carlton with purpose, straight up to the reception desk. When the attendant looked up to greet him, he flashed her his best smile.

She blushed and smiled back at him. "Hi, how can I help you this evening?"

"My girlfriend is traveling for work and I wanted to surprise her. Would it be possible for you to tell me which room she's in?"

Her smile faltered. "I'm sorry sir, I'm not at liberty to disclose information about the guests we have staying with us."

He leaned in closer to her. "Please, she's been touring for months. It would mean so much..." he said softly, laying on the charm.

"I could get in trouble..."

"I won't tell if you don't," he whispered with a wink.

She blushed again. "What's the name?"

"Casey Jacobs."

She typed the name into the computer and frowned. "I'm sorry, sir…"

"Please… call me Zed."

She smiled shyly. "I'm sorry, Zed. We don't have a Casey Jacobs listed."

"Hmm… she may be using a different alias… musicians," he shrugged with a smile. "How about Meg Jacobs?"

She typed the name in and looked up to him, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, there's not a Meg Jacobs registered, either."

"What about Milo Taylor?"

"Sir, I can't..."

"It's Zed… Please?"

She hesitated for a moment, before entering that name into the system as well. "No...I don't have anyone registered under that name either. Are you sure she's at this hotel?"

"Is there another Ritz in the area?"

"No. This is the only one."

"Then I'm sure..." he stilled. "Can you check just one more name for me?"

"Zed, I really shouldn't be checking any names for you."

"I promise this is the last one..." he pleaded. "Please?"

"You must really love her to be going through all this just to surprise her."

"More than she knows..."

"Okay, what's the name?"

He smiled "Addison Donnelly."

"Yes! We have an Addison Donnelly staying with us. She's in the Presidential Suite, top floor…

Zed's face lit up. "Thank you!"

"Wow… Presidential Suite… You said she's a musician?"

"We both are," he threw her a wink and made a dash towards the elevators.

The sound of Blackbird filled the hall as he walked towards the entrance of the suite. As he reached the doors, he could hear the unmistakable sound of her crying. He took a deep breath and knocked.

The music stopped.

"Bucky, I said I was fine. I just can't pretend right now…" She opened the door and looked up. "Zed..." Her face crumpled as she opened the door fully to let him in.

"My God, what happened?" he asked, his voice on the edge of panic as he looked around. There was shattered glass across the floor and an ashtray full of half-smoked cigarettes. The familiar urge to defend and protect her rose up in him, and for a moment his vision went red at the thought of someone harming her. "Are you alright?" he asked pulling her into him.

She couldn't speak, though. She could only bury her face in his neck and cry. Giant, wracking sobs that shook her entire body.

A sudden panic hit him. He had seen her upset before, but he had never seen her like this. "You have to tell me what happened," he said to the top of her head as he held her. "Addison, baby...Look at me!" He grabbed her by the chin and forced her swollen eyes to meet his. "Did someone hurt you? Tell me!"

Addison shook her head quickly.

"Then what's wrong?" The blinding rage began to subside, replaced quickly with the need to hold her as close as possible.

"Just...it's just...I need...I need you..." her words were getting caught between her gasps and hiccups.

"You need me to what?"

"No...I just...need you!" she looked up at him with enormous blue eyes that were puffy and red, the wet lashes surrounding them sticking to her skin in dark points. She had never looked more beautiful to him. "Make it all go away! Please!"

Zed leaned down and lifted her in his arms, carrying her into the bedroom. He laid her down gently and followed after her, kissing her soft lips and tasting her tears. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tightly, returning his kisses with violent fervor. She would only let him go long enough for him to remove her clothing, and after each article was removed she would grasp onto him again as if she were reassuring herself that he was still there.

Once he had worked his own jeans off he covered her completely, and when he slid himself into her welcoming heat they both cried out. He moved inside her slowly, worshiping her body with his own, and as each new tear fell he would kiss it away.

Addison woke mid-afternoon, immediately feeling the deep ache in her muscles. As she moved and stretched, each sore spot brought back another vivid memory of the night before. Thinking back through the foggy, sleepy memories, she couldn't believe how he had been there to help comfort her through the night.

She hadn't been able to sleep for longer than an hour or two at a time. It wasn't that she hadn't been comfortable next to him on the bed- quite the opposite, actually- but for some reason, she kept waking up in a panic and reaching for him in the dark. His body was so in tune with hers that it was almost scary. Every time her hand would land on his warm, toned flesh, he would pull her to him and love her all over again until she was knocked out from sheer exhaustion.

The last time, he had been facing away from her on his side and she had simply rolled over and hugged him, pressing herself against his back to feel his smooth skin on her breasts. Having every intention of drifting back to sleep. However, as soon as his body had recognized her presence, he had rolled back over and grabbed a condom before lifting her up and placing her in his lap, directly over his erection. When she had looked down at him she was amazed to see that he was barely awake, yet it didn't stop him from moving inside her and dragging her with him to a drowsy but passionate finish.

Now completely sated and sprawled across his torso, she lay there for a few minutes and enjoyed the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the rise and fall of his chest as he slept. Glancing down, she stifled a gasp, unable to believe that he was actually hard again.

Looking at the long, smooth shaft that was currently curved

back toward his stomach, Addison whimpered to herself, wanting so badly to crawl on top of him again. However, she could already feel the soreness growing between her legs; she knew that she was going to have trouble walking as it was.

"It would be a shame to let that go to waste, though," she whispered to herself as she slipped away and repositioned herself between his legs. She watched his features closely, looking for any sign that he was stirring before leaning forward and dragging the tip of her tongue all the way up the underside of his erection. She started at the base and finished at the top, before looking up at his sleeping face.

He moaned softly, his brow furrowing in confusion, but his eyes were still closed. She repeated her actions, going even slower, and this time she swirled her tongue around the broad tip as she finished. He grunted a little louder, and she watched as his cock twitched in response, yet it still wasn't enough contact to wake him. One more time she licked him, but when she reached the top, she slipped her plump lips around him and sucked him deep inside her mouth.

"Mmm," he groaned, slowly coming to. Zed opened his eyes just in time to see her looking up at him, a wicked gleam in her eye as she bobbed her head up and down his length.

"Fuck!" He tried to keep his eyes from crossing, instantly feeling an overdose of sensation. Her mouth was so warm, her tongue so slick, and he could feel every stroke as it swirled around him. "God, baby," he gasped, locking eyes with her again.

Their gaze never broke as she moved on him, sucking him to the back of her throat and sliding back up again. When she saw him finally bite his bottom lip and close his eyes from the pleasure, it looked so erotic that Addison couldn't keep from moaning loudly around him, which sent a wave of vibrations down his length.

Zed's eyes flew open. "Christ!" He sat up until he could brace himself on his elbows, allowing him a much better view of her lovely wake up call. The room was still fairly dark from the curtains, but Zed watched her so intently that his eyes quickly adjusted to the light. "You look so fucking sexy doing that." She met his eyes again and winked before setting up a steady pace, the action was so arousing that he felt himself grow impossibly harder in her mouth.

Addison took her time and enjoyed herself, running her hands up the insides of his thighs lightly, causing him to jerk and twitch.

"Oh...oh fuck, baby. Baby, look at me!" His words were interrupted by rapid panting and the sharp thrust of his hips.

The moment her beautiful eyes made contact with his, Zed cried out loudly, exploding in a violent torrent of fluid that sent hot spurts down her throat. Unable to keep his eyes on her like he wanted, he squeezed them shut and threw his head back, drowning in the powerful waves of his release. Addison sucked him even harder as he rode it out, refusing to stop until his shaking had subsided.

When he finally looked finished, Addison sat up and smiled.

"Get the fuck up here. Now," he snarled, his eyes full of fire.

Before she could scramble up his body, she felt his hands gripping her sides and lifting her, pulling her all the way up until she was perched over his face. He looked up at her long enough to grunt something that sounded like "so fucking good" before pulling her down on him, directly over his mouth. He used everything he had to stoke her swollen folds: his tongue, his lips, his nose, even his chin. Pulling her down against him, he devoured her, lapping up all of her juices until she was bucking wildly, grinding herself into his face.

When her own release hit her, it was enough to make her shake so hard that she fell over, crumpling into a heap next to him. He pulled her to his side, holding her tightly and kissing her with all of the passion that he could no longer deny. She kissed him back hungrily, only stopping when she was too exhausted to continue.

They collapsed together again, Addison resuming her favorite spot on his chest. As they both tried to catch their breath, she peppered his warm skin with light kisses while he traced the ink along her bare back.

Addison looked up at him. "God...that was..."

"Un-fucking-believable," Zed groaned.

"Exactly."

The afternoon light was creeping into the room, landing on the tips of his hair and making it glow the most amazing shade of emerald. Addison looked into his sparkling brown eyes, trying to ignore the violent pounding that it caused in her chest.

He gazed back into her eyes and ran his thumb down her cheek. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"Whatever had you so upset last night?" There was a genuine look of concern on his face. "Bucky told everyone you were sick… obviously, that was a lie."

She nodded her head. "Obviously..."

"Than what happened?"

"It's pretty heavy..."

"Just tell me what you can," he whispered, running his hand comfortingly through her hair.

She took a deep shaky breath. "Today makes three years since Daddy died..."

Zed's hand stilled. He sat up and pulled her into a tight hug. "Oh my God, Adds...I had no idea… I'm so sorry, Gorgeous," he whispered, trying his best to keep his own tears from falling.

She sniffled and buried her face into his shoulder. "It was cancer…I took care of him the whole time. I rarely left his side."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. "Why would I have?"

"Because we're friends..."

She wiped at her eyes and smiled. "But we weren't."

"Even still...You can always come to me," he smiled, kissing her forehead. "I will hold you all night long if that's what you need."

"You did a whole lot more than just hold me last night, mister," Addison laughed into his neck before planting a few light kisses there.

"Only because that was what you needed. You asked me to make it go away, so I did...Don't get me wrong, I'm still reeling from how amazing last night was, but if you had told me just to hold you, I would have."

Trying to lighten the mood, Addison laughed. "I'm not sure we could be so chaste together. I probably would have jumped on top of you five minutes after we lay down...I always have had a bad habit of throwing myself at you."

"A habit I fully support..."

"I'm sure you do…" She looked up at him and gave him a sad smile. "How did you know where I was?"

"I overheard Bucky."

"Bucky..." she sniffled "How's he doing?"

"He's fine… why?"

"Just…" she shrugged and wiped her eyes. "...Just worried he's pissed off that we're missing a gig, that's all."

He hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head. "Well, someone offering to pay everyone softened the blow, I'm sure… Speaking of small fortunes being paid, why the Ritz?"

"It's opulent, overpriced, and… It seemed like a Donnelly thing to do."

"That it does," he laughed softly. "I was surprised your reservation was under your actual name."

She shrugged again and buried her face into his neck. "It's the one time a year I fully embrace it… Every other day… I'm too ashamed."

"Of what, beautiful?"

"That this is who I've become."

He took her face in his hands. "Listen to me..."

She reluctantly met his eyes.

"You. Are. Amazing. You always have been, and you always will be."

"Z… you don't know me anymore."

"I may not know every detail that's shaped you, but I know who you are." He leaned in and kissed her softly.

She pushed him back softly and shook her head. "You don't want to know this part of me..."

Welcome to my darkness, I been here a while
Clouding up the sunlight, hurting for a smile
or something, but something always turns into nothing…" She wiped at her eyes.

"Acting like I'm heartless, I do it all the time
That don't mean I'm scarless, that don't mean I'm fine
But you'll see, when someone else makes you this way…

I can be your reckless, you can be my stain
I can be your heartache, you can be my shame
When you're feeling reckless, when you're feeling chained
When there's nothing left but pain

Welcome to my dark side..."

He wrapped his arms around her. "You can try to push me away, but I'm not going anywhere, Addison… Forget about all of it for today. It's just you and me. Addison and Zed. A and Z. Alpha and Omega. The begi…."

"The beginning and the end of everything," she whispered as he dried her tears.

"Exactly… let me take care of you, Baby..." he said as he leaned down and kissed her lips.

She nodded her head and wrapped her arms around him, deepening their kiss.

.

"I forgot how good room service was," Zed moaned around a piece of steak.

Addison giggled softly and leaned in as he held up his fork for her to take a bite. "Mmm… I should have gotten that instead of the chicken."

He laughed and stole a kiss. "I told you so."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." she yawned.

"Alright, beautiful," Zed said as he pushed their plates aside. "How about a soak in the tub?"

"That sounds amazing," she sighed, her heavy eyelids slowly blinking.

"Okay, you stay here and rest, I'll be right back. I'm going to draw us a bath."

"Draw us a bath..." she giggled sleepily. "So proper sounding..."

Zed laughed and leaned down to kiss her. "Don't be a brat."

"I don't know how else to be," she said through another yawn.

"I'll be right back."

Zed disappeared from the room, and before long Addison had drifted off into a light slumber. When she awoke a little while later, it was to the gentle tugging of Zed's fingers on the tie of the plush hotel robe she was wearing. He slipped the robe off of her and scooped her up into his arms, tucking her against his chest.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty," he whispered as he carried her into the large bathroom.

"Oh wow!" she gasped, holding her head up and looking around as they entered the large bathroom. "Zed, did you just do this? It's so beautiful!" He had lit

several candles so that the bathroom had a bright golden glow, and he had a fresh bottle of tequila in a bucket of ice on the marble countertop. "How did you..."

He let out a soft laugh and kissed the top of her head. "It's amazing what this hotel will do for their guests staying in the Presidential Suite…" he said in a mock snobby voice, making her giggle. "I thought it might be more relaxing than the harsh lights in here. I want you to be able to just soak and relax. I know how emotionally draining it's been today."

"And physically taxing," she purred.

"Mmmm, very true," he smirked, setting her down by the edge of the tub. "Now, go ahead and climb in."

Addison stepped carefully into the huge tub, sitting down with a loud sigh in the warm water, laughing as the thick layer of bubbles rose up and tickled her chin before settling down lower around her chest.

"God, this feels amazing," she moaned, laying her head back against the edge.

"I'm happy you like it, Baby," Zed smiled, grabbing the bottle of tequila and filling two glasses. Sitting them on the large rim of the tub, he tapped on Addison's shoulder. "Scoot forward for me."

Addison allowed him enough room to slip in behind her, sighing again as he pulled her back to rest against his chest. Handing her one of the glasses over her shoulder, he leaned down to kiss her neck.

"This is so relaxing… Thank you..."

"You're welcome," he let out a soft laugh, his gravelly voice vibrating her back as he spoke, "but I wouldn't call this relaxing"

"Why's that?"

"Because feeling your silky wet skin slide against me like this is torture when I'm trying to let your body recoup."

"Well, you're the one who climbed in here."

"What can I say, I'm a masochist…But… it's the best kind of torture..." he whispered against her wet shoulder. "And it is relaxing. I just need to shift my focus a little… which is hard to do when you wiggle your ass like that."

"Sorry," she said with a soft smile.

"No you're not," he teased. He grabbed his own glass and raised it out in front of her. "Now let's have a toast, shall we?"

"A bathtub toast?"

"Of course! Bathtub toasts are the most sincere, didn't you know that?"

"No… can't say I did… And since when do you willingly drink tequila?"

"It seemed appropriate."

She smiled and leaned into him further. "What are we toasting too?"

"Life… death..." he kissed the top of her head. "The boundaries between life and death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where one ends and where the other begins?"

"Edgar Allan Poe…" she smiled and looked back towards him. "Always a favorite of mine..."

"I know. You're the only person I've ever known who reads it for the love notes."

She leaned further into him. "Memento Mori, Memento Vivere..."

"Remember you will die… remember you must live..." He leaned down and kissed her before clinking his glass lightly to hers. After sipping quietly for a moment, Zed could see that her eyes were starting to droop again. "Okay, give me that." He took her glass before she could drop it, then sat up a little higher in the tub and reached for the sponge. "Let's get you cleaned up before you pass out on me."

He dipped the sponge down into the bubble bath, bringing it up to squeeze the warm suds over Addison's shoulders, watching them cover her porcelain skin.

"I know you've suffered
But I don't want you to hide..." he whispered into her ear.
"It's cold and loveless
I won't let you be denied..."

"Mmm… I didn't think this bath could get any better," she giggled.

"Soothing
I'll make you feel pure
Trust me
You can be sure

I want to reconcile the violence in your heart
I want to recognize your beauty is not just a mask
I want to exorcise the demons from your past
I want to satisfy the undisclosed desires in your heart..." he kissed her shoulder softly before grabbing onto her waist and turning her around, making the water splash out of the tub. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her in for a kiss.

"You trick your lovers
That you're wicked and divine..." he breathed against her lips.

"You may be a sinner
But your innocence is mine

Please me
Show me how it's done
Tease me
You are the one..."

She kissed him again, silencing him. "I think I've rested up enough… please tell me you have another condom somewhere."

He laughed and leaned over the tub, grabbing a condom from the pocket of the robe he had been wearing. "I'm always prepared..."

She arched her brow. "Except when you're not…" she mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Nothing..." she grabbed the foil packet from him and ripped it open with her teeth.

.

Zed blew out the candles and drained the remaining water that hadn't sloshed out of the tub, before joining Addison in the bedroom. He slid into bed next to her, only to find that she was already fast asleep.

Pulling her to him in the dark, he wrapped his arms around her possessively and kissed the top of her head.

"We burn and we played, we try to forget
But the memories left are still haunting…

She stirred and rolled over in his arms, clinging to him as though he were her lifeline.

"The face of an angel, the heart of a ghost
Was it a dream?

I, I am a man on fire
You, a violent desire

What a dangerous night to fall in love
Don't know why we still hide what we've become

Do you wanna cross the line?
We're runnin' out of time
A dangerous night to fall in love..."

He kissed her lips softly and held her close as he reluctantly gave in to sleep.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

SONGS USED IN THIS CHAPTER

-Dark Side, Bishop Brigs

-Undisclosed Desires, Muse

-Dangerous Night, Thirty Seconds to Mars