Summary: Three and a half years after the Jam Pony incident, Max and Alec are mated and dealing with a transgenic serial rapist targeting their own kind. When Max is taken, how will they deal with the fallout...
Rating: NC-17 for coarse language, sexual content and extreme violence pertaining to rape and torture.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that appeared in the TV show Dark Angel. I am ignoring the runes in this story.
Author's Note: While I have written this as an interlude to provide some more of the back story of Max and Alec's relationship, it can be read as a memory Max visits while trapped in her head. I have split this chapter in half as well, as it was starting to get quite long.
Mood Music: Crazy by Kat Dahlia and Stompa by Serena Ryder
Chapter 8A
Interlude - 2023Jul14 – Friday – Approximately 9:00 pm
Max sighed as she leaned into the bar, content for the time being to lose herself in the noise and bustle of the crowd and the music pulsing heavily through the speakers. Fringe packed to the rafters tonight; everyone that was able out celebrating the crushing blow they'd dealt the Familiars that morning. Alec and Bran having worked hard over the past month or so to orchestrate a coup; their crack squads crashing an important high-level cult gathering and decimating their unsuspecting ranks in a fierce but thankfully brief battle.
Guess nobody ever told 'em not to bring a knife to a gunfight, even if it is poisoned with snake blood! She smirked a bit at the decidedly Alec-like thought, then raised her beer to her own reflection in a mock toast before taking a drink.
I suppose I ought to be happier. White, McKinley, and over 400 of their whack-job cult buddies are dead after all. And their evil plot to dominate the world is exposed now too; the media going absolutely bat-shit this afternoon when we sent them copies of all the evidence we'd gathered.
They'd been tapping and intercepting Familiar phone and email communications for roughly two years now, collecting detailed information on movements, contacts and illegal actions against both humans and themselves. Biding their time until they could pin enough dirt on them to take them down permanently without repercussion from the government or the ordinary populace.
But with everything else that's been happening and on my mind lately, I'm not really feeling it. 'Specially with all the tension that's been flaring up between Alec and I. Well, not really tension I guess. More like I'm brushing up against a live wire whenever he's around, which is pretty much constantly again. He's weaved himself back into my life almost like I never pushed him away. Or at least tried to!
She couldn't help but snort at the thought of him, not quite sure as to how she should even classify his role in her life anymore there were so many titles he could take.
Sounding board? Check. Even during our decidedly strained eight-month cold spell, we were still in and out of each other's offices on a semi-regular basis, running ideas past each other just as we've always done.
Second-in-Command? Without question. I don't know how I'd have coped with all this crap without his support. Hell, I wouldn't even be in this position right now if he hadn't backed me initially. It's not like many of our people were willing to give an '09er' like me the benefit of the doubt!
Best friend? Yeah, he's definitely getting close to Cindy in that category, she had to admit. Maybe even higher now, with how long it's been since OC and I have actually had an opportunity to sit down and seriously talk. She pursed her lips unconsciously as she thought about the people who were actually left in her inner circle. There is Josh of course, but he's too innocent by far. In reality, Alec's the only one I've ever truly trusted enough and felt confident enough in to tell all my secrets to without reservation.
She sighed despondently as she realized she hadn't even used up all the fingers on one hand. And the sad thing is, it's my own fault. I've pushed so many people away over the years, if only out of fear, that there isn't anyone else now that's even close enough for me to consider them a true friend. Although… Anna could turn into one I guess. If I let her. She doesn't seem to mind me hanging out with her while she's on shift. And we do have a few things in common, other than both being night models.
How about lover? A voice in the back of her head suggested slyly, eager to get back to the topic of Alec.A slight frown crossed her face as she had to think hard about that one. Not exactly... It's not like being heat buddies a couple times a year really qualifies.
She shook her head and sighed yet again, realizing how easily she could keep that list going. The man's nothing, if not complicated. But then so's my life. Hell, I've been struggling for going on a year now, trying to make sense of everything and deal with all the guilt I'm still feeling over Logan's death, especially since so many good things have sprung up as a result of it.
I still can't believe how much approval and support I've gained since his passing. Not that I was trying for it. I didn't even consider how my actions would be perceived by anyone else, I was so wrapped up in my own misery and intent on drowning out my grief and fear with work.
By January, her popularity had grown so much that most of the factions jostling for control of TC had died out; the majority more than satisfied by her hard work and obvious dedication. And the government had actually been inspired enough too, by the slowly growing public wave of empathy being directed toward them, to approach her with the first tentative displays of interest in opening negotiations. Which had only served to increase her popularity even more.
Course Bran took a while longer to win over, she mused.
But just before Easter, he'd finally thrown in the towel as well and magnanimously tendered his support to her and Alec's leadership. He'd given a rousing speech in the middle of command and apologized for the dissent and friction he and Trev had caused, admitting that he now thought she was the best person for CO, and asking her rather humbly if she'd allow him to make it up to her and their people by joining her recently established command committee as head of their planning department.
It had made sense, as that was where he'd been focusing most of his energy anyway, and it would've been difficult to turn him down in front of the audience that had gathered, even though she'd been sorely tempted. But Alec had endorsed the move immediately, murmuring discretely to her that there was no need to alienate him. That his skills as a strategist were second to none and they'd be fortunate to have him working by their side. It had been obvious to her that his faith in his former CO remained fairly strong, despite the differences in opinion they'd had.
So she'd reluctantly agreed to give Bran a chance, although a part of her felt hesitant to trust him at face value; something about him still just rubbing her the wrong way despite his agreeable enough manner. But to her surprise, he'd quickly thrown himself into his work, more than proving himself by offering up nothing but solutions and a highly positive attitude in the months since then.
Of course, Alec and I were still slightly at odds with one another at that point, what with the way he kept pushing me to open up again, although that didn't last long either. The big blow out they'd had only a few short weeks later pulling her forcibly out of her shell and settling them back into a somewhat more normal routine.
She closed her eyes involuntarily as she remembered that night. It had been his persuasive words – and his amazingly sweet kiss, if she was being completely honest with herself – that had gotten her to thinking, and made her start opening her mind to the possibilities in front of her, confusing and frightening though they were.
2023Apr19 – Wednesday – Approximately 01:00 am
"You opened everyone's eyes that day. Made them all finally start taking us seriously. Made them realize that maybe we weren't animals; that we cared and had souls and deserved to live." Alec sighed and gentled his tone. "And even though it took his death to do it, I think Logan could've lived with that. I think it would've made him think it was worth it in the end."
"But..." Her voice broke and she had to try again. "But he didn't deserve it Alec. He didn't deserve to die like that."
"No, you're right. He didn't. He was an amazing guy. Decent and honest and giving. Dedicated to doing what he thought was right. And he loved you with all his heart." He sighed. "But do you honestly think he'd be happy seeing you like this? Do you think this would be what he'd want for you? To see you living some sort of half-life, never truly happy? To see you spend the rest of your life feeling guilty, wretched and alone?"
"No." Her face crumpled as she realized he was speaking the truth. Tears finally starting to slip down her cheeks.
"That's right." He reached up and gently brushed them away with his thumbs, still staring directly into her eyes. "Logan would've wanted you to be happy Max. For you to fall in love again and have a family. To laugh and smile and just be. And you're only tarnishing his memory and making light of his sacrifice by closing yourself off like this."
He was right, of course, as he so often is. She sighed as she opened her eyes and finished off the rest of her beer, even as she signaled Kevin for another. Logan never would have wanted me to isolate myself like I did. He would've expected me to keep on fighting, to go on living. The only thing is, I'm not quite sure how to go about it. Or what exactly I want now.
It was like she'd been set adrift; a whole new bright and beautiful world suddenly opened up before her, if she could only find the courage to take that first irrevocable step forward.
And that is my biggest challenge, isn't it? Figuring out if I can actually take that step and move on? If I have the guts to try for something more with Alec? Or whether I'd be better off just settling for my safe, if lonely, little life as friends with very occasional benefits? She shook her head as she felt an all-too-familiar blush heating her cheeks, already knowing which way her body was leaning. And it certainly wasn't toward the friendship path.
She'd gone into heat again, not quite two weeks after that fight, and man, had it ever been intense! She'd thought she'd already seen everything Alec had to offer, felt all the fire and passion he could possibly bring to the table, but he'd somehow managed to switch things up on her again.
His expression had been so tender and so focused on her as he'd indomitably taken control, shepherding her back to her apartment and carefully fending off her wandering hands and lips while they were out in the public view. But once he'd gotten her home?
Oh, he'd let her do all the touching she'd wanted. And reciprocated in spades!
He'd laid her out in the middle of her bed after stripping them both naked, then proceeded to worship every – single – inch of her. Looking like some sort of god as the sultry rays of the midday sun had kissed his flesh, just as surely as he'd kissed hers. Keeping her at a slow and steady simmer for what felt like days. Satisfying her in almost every conceivable way, except for the one she'd truly craved.
He hadn't allowed her to rush them through any part of their joining, despite how hard she'd pushed him to just fuck her and be done with it. Her instincts still trying to operate in protection mode, somehow knowing he'd be able to breach her defenses if she gave him the slightest opening. But not a single thing she'd said or done had dissuaded him from his thorough and absolutely sinful seduction.
Every touch and caress had burned so brightly, every glance and whisper and brush of his lips against her skin had felt so exquisitely intimate, filled with such reverence and desire. She'd never felt so wanted before. Had never felt, so definitively, like she mattered.
And when he'd finally – finally! –taken her – when he'd meshed their fingers together above her head, looked deep into her eyes andpressed himself all the way inside her – he'd taken her breath away. Her orgasm striking her like a lightning bolt she's been so ready; tongues of fire licking their way eagerly through her body. His intense green eyes delving into hers for several timeless moments – soaking up every little shiver and cry she'd made – before he'd finally started moving again. The sense of connection between them completely overwhelming; so incredibly beautiful and terrifying all at once. Leaving her feeling as if he'd somehow indelibly imprinted himself upon her soul.
Her fingers reached up unconsciously to brush over the site of his latest round of bite marks, causing a shiver to course down her spine, and she bit her bottom lip hard as she forcibly pulled herself from the almost trancelike state those memories induced. Even now, two and a half months later, she still couldn't get the erotic images and sensations out of her head. They kept popping up at the most inconvenient of moments, sending a rush of liquid heat flowing through her core.
She was just so aware of him; it was slowly driving her insane. Even his scent was a temptation, something about it making her feel so safe and protected, and yet undeniably aroused and restless at the same time. And it was weird, how she could track him and identify his presence by it, when all the other males in TC just blended into the background like they weren't even there; nothing about them standing out in her head at all. But as soon as she picked up Alec's scent, every nerve in her body went haywire, instantly attuning themselves to him. Like she had some sort of built-in Alec radar now.
It's gotta be that claim business that Anna told me about! It's so... distracting. Yeah, and… and… utterly vexing! Stupid instincts anyway! She nodded heartily at her own propaganda, in a vain attempt to reinforce the message to her traitorous body, and deliberately turned her thoughts elsewhere.
It's not like I haven't had enough crap vying for my attention lately. Like my twin's return.
Sam had been furious and just angling for a fight when she'd shown up in TC a few days after her heat, laying the blame for ruining her life entirely on Max's shoulders. All of the publicity, both positive and negative, that Max and the transgenic revolution had garnered, making its way up to Canada and tarnishing her with the same brush. Until her husband had finally had enough of all the stares and innuendo plaguing him and his son and sent her packing. For good.
That had been hard enough to deal with, although it'd been great having a chance to get to know her a bit better. For despite her initial hostility they'd done a fair bit of talking - okay, mainly arguing at first - but they'd managed to start clearing the air between them and paving the way toward a slightly more amicable relationship.
At least until Sam had disappeared. She'd gone out to blow off some steam the night of June 1st and never returned. Unsure as to who had taken her, whether it had been White, or maybe one of the more hardcore vigilante groups that were still actively hunting them, they'd searched for her non-stop. Until Bran had finally gotten a lead on her possible whereabouts several days later; whispered rumors on the streets about the capture of the head transgenic and some decidedly suspicious activity down by the waterfront allowing him to narrow things down to one particular warehouse, an infrequently-used fish factory.
Max winced and felt her stomach lurch, her grip tightening convulsively around her beer bottle as memories of the last time she'd seen Sam flashed though her head.
2023Jun06 – Tuesday – Approximately 6:00 pm
Alec deliberately slipped in front of her, then gestured to the ten members of their backup team to fan out around the building and take covering positions. Since White had been seen in the area earlier that afternoon, they couldn't be certain whether or not this was a trap, and he wasn't willing to take any chances. Giving them time to work their way into position, he looked back and caught her eye. "I'll take point."
With the way he said it, as he pulled his gun out, checked the clip and then pointedly thumbed the safety off, the matter clearly wasn't up for discussion as far as he was concerned. Hell, he hadn't even wanted her to come along in the first place, the over-protective ass! Unwilling to waste any more time arguing with him, particularly since he wasn't likely to concede, Max just rolled her eyes and nodded impatiently, already bracing herself for the potential fight to come.
He pushed her back into the shadows though when the side door they were aiming for suddenly opened and three men came out, laughing and looking only too pleased with themselves as they made their way down the street, barely sparing a glance around to make sure they weren't being watched.
Gesturing at Rake and Nero, who were closest, to leave their posts and pick them up, Alec glided smoothly forward and carefully opened the door, peering inside to check for more men. Not finding anyone else in the small walled off vestibule, he started leading the way down the spottily-lit hallway and past a set of obviously freshly used locker rooms until they reached the opening of the much larger processing area. Hearing no one inside, he edged his way cautiously into the room and then almost lost his lunch at the gruesome sight that met his eyes. Swiftly turning, he grabbed Max by the upper arms to try to stop her from entering.
She squirmed out of his grasp though and slipped around him, her face rapidly paling when she saw the knives and all the blood arrayed out over the nearby walls and floor; her twin chained down to one of the heavy steel work tables not five feet away. Naked as the day she was born, her neck was slit wide open; the smell and miserable condition she was in making it clear that she'd been raped and tortured for quite some time.
Her eyes huge with shock and horror, her body trembling in reaction, Max spun away and tried desperately not to heave, leaning over with her hands on her thighs to support herself as she took shallow breaths in through her mouth in an effort to regain control.
Torn between going to Max and checking her twin for any sign of life, not that he believed he would find any given the amount of blood pooled on the floor, Alec forced himself to approach the table. His heart and mind rebelling with every step, since all he could see was Max lying there. Her dark auburn locks tangled and matted with blood and sweat, her chocolate eyes glazed over and staring vacantly off into space, while the once beautiful lines of her face and body were swollen and marred with cuts and bruises. The men had obviously believed that Sam was Max, since all the rumors had mentioned the capture of the 'head trannie bitch'.
After carefully checking for a pulse and finding none, the warmth already dissipating from her skin, he closed her eyelids with trembling fingers and glanced around for something to cover her with. Spying a tarp lying in the corner, he walked over to grab it and then draped it over her.
Making his way back over to Max, he laid his hand over the small of her back to let her know he was there, rubbing gently in a gesture of comfort as a few more shudders racked her body.
Swiping at her face with the sleeve of her shirt, she finally pushed herself up to face him, her eyes haunted. "God, Alec! How could they do that?" Shaken to her core by the senseless violence, and disturbed beyond measure by the notion that it could've so easily have been her lying there, that it should have been her, that they'd meant it to be her, she instinctively moved into his waiting arms and buried her face in his neck, too distraught to care about how he or anyone else might interpret her actions.
Not that he seemed to care either as he folded her up in his arms and held her just as tightly, breathing her in with his nose pressed in her hair. His heart pounding, his whole body trembling with barely restrained anger and fear as similar thoughts raced through his head.
Rake and Nero had shown up not long after with the rest of their team, coolly dragging in the three men they'd seen leaving, who promptly pissed their pants upon seeing Max standing there unharmed. Their eyes darting back and forth between the body on the table and her in complete confusion before rightly focusing in on the man beside her who looked like Death incarnate. Alec hadn't even batted an eyelid as he'd stooped to pick up a fillet knife and began "questioning" them. He'd been utterly ruthless; the dark smoldering fury in his eyes intimidating, even to her, but he'd swiftly gotten the information they'd needed.
The assholes hadn't even been the ones to capture Sam. Someone else had done that and then blithely handed her over to them a few days later. Not that they'd known who he was; they'd never even seen the guy's face.
He'd approached them in a dark alley on the night of the third, they'd said, staying deliberately to the shadows. Said he'd seen them out on the corner shouting down transgenics and wondered if they actually had the balls to do something about it. Said he'd captured the head trannie if they were interested. That they could do whatever they wanted to her, have as much fun as they wanted with the filthy little whore.
And the sick bastards had happily taken him up on it. The only rule they'd been told, was that they were to kill her by noon today. But obviously they'd gotten carried away and lost track of time.
It would be the last mistake they'd ever make.
None of the team had been able to tolerate what had been done to Sam, and they'd all taken part in teaching the ordinaries a final fateful lesson about messing with transgenics - something they hadn't been able to do when first Biggs and then Amber had been lynched. When they were finished, they'd sanitized the site and tossed the remains of the three in the ocean, finding a certain poetic justice in them becoming fish food, and Max hadn't even been able to bring herself to care all that much, except for the need to minimize their risk of exposure. The shock of what the men had done, what they'd intended to do to her, eradicating any sympathy she might have otherwise felt.
They'd brought Sam's body back to TC and cremated her, not wanting her to become fodder for either the government or some scientist. And Alec had ended up shadowing her closely until she'd finally gone home that night. Then shown up on her doorstep again not ten minutes later with several bottles of booze in hand, still too wound up to let her out of his sight for long, although he'd tried valiantly to hide it. And while she would've refused to admit it if asked, she'd secretly been relieved to find him there, a bit too unsettled to be alone. They'd ended up drinking and talking the night away, curled up together on her couch; both needing the reassurance and comfort of the other's presence as they'd commiserated Sam's loss.
Coming back to herself, Max motioned for yet another beer and knocked back the rest of the bottle in her hand, only too pleased by the buzz starting to hit her system. Her thoughts returning to the likely culprit behind Sam's death.
Since White had been seen in the area before they'd found her, they'd assumed he'd been responsible for capturing Sam initially and was there to check up on the vigilantes, although they hadn't been able to find any real proof of his involvement. So they'd redoubled their efforts in pinning him and the rest of the Familiars down, determined to finally get rid of the threat they posed once and for all.
Alec even going so far as to deliberately allow himself to be caught by White and three of his psycho warriors almost three weeks ago, without telling her beforehand of course. She'd been ready to throttle him when she found out; almost insane with worry as she'd been forced to listen in as he'd let himself be beaten damn near to a pulp, all while trying to garner some sort of confession and egging White into beaking off, of course. Something else he was spectacularly gifted at with that mouth of his.
His backup team had videotaped the absolutely damning rant White had given about the superiority of his race, and how the Familiars were going to crush the transgenics and all the pitiful humans they'd been created to protect. And while he'd certainly been pleased to hear about Sam's death, Ames hadn't taken responsibility for it, and they'd been forced to admit defeat on that count. When he'd pulled out a gun not long after, intent on a kill, they'd swooped in to retrieve Alec before he could follow through.
Alec had realized too, as soon as they'd pulled back into TC and she'd torn open the doors to the van he was in, that he'd fucked up. At least so far as she was concerned. The look of surprised wonder in his eyes had made it obvious he hadn't properly accounted for his own importance to her, even though he'd known about her fear of losing people. He'd quickly tried to explain about the multitude of contingencies he'd had in place, but she'd barely let him get a word in edgewise. At least not then. Not after what had happened with her twin; the damage still too fresh in her mind for her to be able to handle it rationally.
She'd taken one look at his battered and broken body and banished him to the med ward for three days, not trusting herself to say anything else she'd been shaking so bad, her heart about ready to pound right out of her chest. The thought of actually losing him hitting her so much harder than she'd ever expected, forcing her to reevaluate his standing in her life.
Of course, that had coincided with when she'd found out about the whole 'claim' business. She'd met up with Anna that night on watch, still a complete wreck after everything that had happened, and ended up ranting about Alec's behavior to her.
2023Jun24 – Saturday – Approximately Midnight
"God! I can't believe him sometimes. I mean, he freaks out if I even think about doing anything remotely dangerous anymore, and then he goes out and pulls something like this? What the hell is wrong with him!" Max huffed out, aware that she couldn't afford to be too loose-lipped, no matter how upset she was.
Anna pursed her lips thoughtfully as she stared out over the streets of TC below them, "Well... I don't think you can really blame Alec. He is just following his instincts after all."
"His instincts!" Indignant, Max scowled. "What? To act like an idiot?"
Anna smirked, amused by the thought. "No. To protect you, and remove the threat that White and his kind poses to all of us."
When Max just stared at her, clearly confused at her reasoning, Anna sighed. "You do realize of course that Alec's claimed you."
"Claimed me? What are you talking about?"
"Haven't you heard any of the gossip about claims over the last year or so?" Anna looked over at her and arched an eyebrow in surprise, even as several pieces of the puzzle that was her CO started snapping into place. "I haven't been able to go anywhere without seeing or hearing something about it."
Realizing belatedly that that may have come off as a bit rude, she tried to give her an out. "But that may just be an occupational hazard of mine, seeing as how I spend most of my time spying on others."
Max sighed. "Well, obviously I need to get out more. I've been way too preoccupied with running TC." Among other things, she thought. "So what's the deal?"
Settling her butt a bit more comfortably on the corner of the brick ledge and resuming her surveillance, Anna began to explain. "You remember back when you were a kid - when you were still in your unit - how close you all were? How you relied on each other for protection and looked out for one another? The instinctive bond that existed between all of you as unit mates?"
"Yeah." A wistful smile tugged at Max's lips at the thought. "What of it?"
"Well, a claim is sort of like an extension of that, the more 'grown-up' version if you will, as it's sexual in nature. It's something that started happening after we got out of Manticore. Once we had the right to start hooking up with and choosing our own partners, and the heat-suppressors worked their way out of our systems..."
She glanced over at Max appraisingly, wondering if she might get in trouble for what she was about to ask, but then shrugged mentally, wanting the confirmation that she was on the right track. "Alec has bitten you, right? You know, when you've...uhh... been together... during your heats?"
Shocked by the intimate nature of the question, even if it was likely relevant, and more than a bit embarrassed, Max felt a blush engulf her face and barely managed a tight nod as she muttered, "Yeah. Every time, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"It's how they claim us," Anna stated matter-of-factly, then elaborated, "We've known for a long time now that the guys are ruled even more by their animal instincts than we are - the scientists started figuring it out when we hit puberty - and well, our heats seem to stir those instincts up and draw them even closer to the surface. So much so, that if they're attracted to us at all, they wind up biting us on the neck. It seems to be some sort of territorial/dominance-related thing passed on through our feline DNA. A way of marking us as theirs, as being a part of their 'pack' and under their protection."
"So, what? Is it permanent then, like mating? Don't I get a say?" Max's voice had risen to a panicked whisper, her face pale now in the moonlight.
"Oh don't worry, we definitely have a say. We can deny their claim at any time and they can withdraw it too for that matter, simply by choosing or accepting a different partner." Anna grimaced, her voice a little bitter, and shook her head sadly as she explained. "A claim doesn't necessarily have to lead to mating at all, or even mean that a guy loves you or anything. It's seems to have more to do with them warning others away from their choice of a potential mate." She frowned a bit as she inadvertently rubbed her neck, thinking about Kevin and his reluctance to actually commit to her, even though he'd been claiming her off and on for the past year and a half.
"It depends on the guy of course as to how seriously they take it. Some tend to be quite laid back about it, maybe 'cause they don't feel like they have anything to prove, or they just don't care enough about the woman after her heat is over; while others view it as a form of ownership and start coming off like cavemen, acting like the woman is their property and trying to boss her around. And then there are all the ones that fall somewhere in between that spectrum."
"Huh." Max muttered, not quite sure as to how she felt about the concept of Alec claiming her. Could it actually mean something to him? And do I want it to? She shook her head, biting at her bottom lip uncertainly. Am I even ready for something like that?
Anna's eyes roved restless over the fence line below them, still alert to her duty despite the diverting conversation. Her gaze sharpening for a moment on a homeless man entering one of the alleys backing on to TC before moving on again once she recognized him as a regular. "You can also end up reinforcing a claim, depending on how you react to it."
That got Max's attention. "How do you mean?"
"Exclusivity for one. If you're consistently sleeping with the same guy, particularly when you're in heat, then that's a huge sign that you accept their claim." Anna glanced over at her again significantly as she asked, "Didn't you ever wonder why a bigger fuss wasn't made over Alec beating Trev to a pulp, back when you were in heat in November?"
Max blushed again and looked away, not particularly enthused about the reminder of the mistake she'd made. "I just didn't figure it was anybody's business. It was only a fight, wasn't it?"
"No. That's not it at all." Anna shook her head solemnly. "It blew over right away because every guy here knew that Alec was only acting in his instincts. He'd made it perfectly clear to everyone by his posturing and behavior that he considered you to be his; that he'd staked his claim on you and was prepared to defend it. So when he actually did, Trev didn't have a leg to stand on. Especially given the fact that you were seen willingly leaving that alley with Alec, and clearly overheard telling him that you were his. All those things strengthened his claim to you."
Max just sat there, stunned that something so personal had apparently become common knowledge. She'd known it would be hard to keep secrets in TC with everyone having enhanced senses, but it was another thing entirely to experience it for herself. After several long minutes, she finally broke the silence to ask quietly, "so you seriously think that Alec was trying to protect me by letting White capture and beat on him like that? That it was because of his claim on me?"
"Yeah, I do." Anna sighed, not really wanting to point out what should be evident by now, nor appear to lay any blame. "Ever since your twin was assaulted and killed in your stead, Alec's been spooked, worried that something similar might happen to you. He's been fighting it hard, trying not to overreact, but we've all seen it. And nobody's giving him an ounce of grief over it, because we all know we'd do the same damn thing if someone we cared about was threatened with something like that."
"Just look at the way you're reacting to his being hurt now, and how freaked out you were today when you found out what was going down. Can you honestly tell me you wouldn't have done something similar to protect him from White if you'd had the chance?"
Anna didn't give her time to answer, but bulldozed on. "And yeah, maybe the way he went about it was a little crazy. But he's determined to eliminate White as a threat to you, by any means possible, and if that includes him taking a beating to do it, well obviously he's okay with that."
Gentling her tone, she added, "You can't really argue with his results either Max. I mean, getting White on tape like that talking about McKinley and their high priestesses, and the murder of their own children? Having him profess so blatantly his hatred of us and the ordinaries, and their determination to wipe us all off the map? That's moved up our timeline for exposing them exponentially. He gave us so much material to work with."
"Yeah. I know." Max's voice was barely above a whisper as she shifted uncomfortably on the ledge, the urge to run off somewhere and hide from this newfound knowledge very hard to contain. "It's just..."
"What?"
"I can't believe he'd actually do something that stupid for me." She shook her head, nonplussed, and hugged her knees up into her chest. "I mean, it's one thing to risk your life on a rescue attempt, but another entirely to let yourself get caught by your worst enemy on the slim chance that maybe you might get some useful information out of them. It doesn't make any sense. We're just friends-"
Anna snorted, unable to contain her disbelief. "Sure you are."
"What?" Max exclaimed, "It's true. We are just friends."
"Maybe technically, on your side of the fence at least, but have you even seen the way Alec looks at you? 'Cause I have." She stated definitively. "That man is seriously into you. Hasn't slept with any of the other women either since you two started hitting it, which is what?" She eyed Max speculatively as she tried to recall exactly when he'd started acting differently toward her; her tone just daring her to read between the lines. "About a year and a half ago now?"
The probable significance of that fact wasn't lost on either transgenic.
"Something like that." Max mumbled into her knees, then lifted her head and continued more strongly as if her point was beyond reproach, "But we only get together during my heats! And that only started as a matter of convenience!"
Anna eyed her contemplatively, sensing the rising fear that Max was feeling and the likely reasoning behind it. After all, it wasn't as if her doomed relationship with Eyes Only had been a big secret. "Okay, let's say for the sake of argument that you are 'just friends'." She rolled her eyes and silently congratulated herself on not making air quotes when she used the term. "Does it really matter what you call your relationship? Even as a friend you still care about him, don't you? So do you honestly think you'd have felt any differently today if you were more involved with him?"
Pinning her with her dark eyes, she pressed her point home. "If the worst had happened, and Alec had died, do you think it would have hurt any more or less if you'd only been friends, as compared to lovers, or maybe even mates? Would you be any less devastated?"
Stymied, Max sat there with her mouth agape, unable to face the truth, at least right then. Making up a lame excuse, she beat a hasty retreat, not stopping until she reached the solitude of her apartment.
Chapter 8B - Fringe Club - 2023Jul14 – Friday – Approximately 9:30 pm
She'd spent plenty of time thinking about it, and him, in the three weeks since then, probably more than was strictly healthy, and the awful truth was she really couldn't imagine it hurting any worse. The thought of his death damn near paralyzing her with fear and panic as is.
Obviously it's far too late to try to protect myself from him; he's already managed to worm his way into at least some portion of my heart. But that doesn't mean I have to give him free reign to the rest of it, Max thought stubbornly as she took another drink.
Although I am becoming more and more tempted to maybe give him a shot, she had to admit with a sigh. There's just something about him that appeals to me. She tried to pin down exactly what it was, and then shook her head ruefully when she realized she couldn't. There were just too many.
I really envy his straightforward and almost effortless way of dealing with everyone and everything. He's got so many allegiances, it still astounds me sometimes the sheer number of people that know him and wave to him, that respect him and his opinion, and have faith in him. Not that it should, I suppose. He earned my respect and trust as well, not long after the siege began, when I finally looked past the last of my own misconceptions about him.
He's loyal and caring too. His willingness to become my Second – even though he easily could have taken CO – and all the responsibility he's shouldered with little to no complaint, has proven his dedication to our cause and our people. And to me. He constantly stands behind me whenever anyone doubts or questions me, and beside me too, no matter what I say or do.
Although he's not afraid to challenge me if he thinks I'm in the wrong either, not pulling any punches while he stands toe-to-toe with me, totally undaunted in the face of my anger. He's probably about the only person on Earth that's actually able - and more than willing - to put up with me and my varied rants and physical arguments, all without batting an eyelid. Just smirking down at me the whole damn time, the smart ass! A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she thought about his typical expression.
I don't need to explain or justify myself to him either. Oh, I certainly could, if I wanted to or felt like it, but I don't have to all the time, because Alec just seems to get me for the most part. She frowned, and rationalized that thought away almost unconsciously. We are both transgenics after all and have lived a similar kind of life, which is probably why it's so easy between us.
It is pretty nice too, she decided as she bit her lip, to be so accepted. To know that I can rely on him to be there for me and back me up. That he can take whatever I dish out, return it even, and still come back for more without either of us holding it against the other. The freedom that gives me... to just... be myself, with no worries? I don't think I've ever had that before.
And as for his sense of humour? She smirked. While it sometimes drives me insane and often makes me want to smack him, it's also a welcome reprieve from all the craziness in our lives. He can make me smile whether I want to or not, make me laugh too like no one else can, and even boost me back up when I feel like I'm drowning in despair. Her eyes darkened a bit at that thought. Hell, it's mainly due to his efforts that I managed to get through those first dark months after Logan died. His dogged determination, to reach out to me and ease my pain, is about the only thing that kept me from giving up and closing myself off entirely.
'Yeah, well that's not all he does for you. Don't forget about how passionate he is, and sexy too!' That brazen voice in the back of her head suddenly chimed in, and after a moment's pause, she couldn't help but agree. The man is an absolute fiend in bed. Can set my body on fire without even trying and make me wetter than I've ever been in my life! And just looking at him lately gets me hot. Makes me want to tackle him to the nearest flat surface and fuck him until neither one of us can see straight!
She blushed as she realized her fingers had crept up to teasingly caress her lips as a lover might; the phantom sensation of Alec's kisses burning beneath her skin. And she hastily dropped her hand, not quite daring to look around to see if anyone had noticed her strange behaviour.
Determined to consider this from every angle, she deliberately turned her attention toward some of the more worrying aspects of the attraction she felt for him. What if it isn't even real? What if it's only due to proximity? I mean, we spend so much time together: working out of each other's offices, huddling around the comms area to monitor news and missions, attending committee meetings and planning sessions, grabbing a beer together after work, and dealing with all the miscellaneous crap that comes up after hours... She sighed. There are some days where we only separate to go home and sleep, and even then we have apartments on the same floor in the same building. So maybe we are just friends and all this close quarters contact is messing with our heads?
Her eyes widened as another thought occurred to her. Hell, could be it's my heats and this claiming business for that matter, making us think that we have some sort of attraction to each other, when really it's just hormones and instincts screwing with us. His claim might be more about him just having my back as a best friend. He might not really be interested in me at all.
'As if! You know he cares. You've picked up on the way he's been acting toward you too, even if you don't want to admit it.' That persistent and much more confident voice proclaimed with a touch of exasperation. 'Enough is enough already. Stop trying to bury your head in the sand! It's not getting you anywhere, is it?'
Maybe not, she supposed. Thing is though I'm actually more frightened by the thought that he might truly care. My track record – k record how to have fun itme room with him, one watching while other is assaulted. Switching back and fortand his for that matter – utterly abysmal when it comes to love.
I know he loved Rachel; that he probably still does love her. The memory of him crying at her deathbed would likely stick with her forever, it had been so disturbing. Something about seeing the strong and normally so self-assured male brought so low had bothered her greatly.
If he actually fell for me too, and things got screwed up between us, what would that do to him? To us? Hell, we've both seen so much heartache already from losing people we love, do I really want to risk hurting us both when everything inevitably goes to shit, like it always does where I'm concerned?
'You don't know that it will. Maybe he is actually Mr. Right. Maybe it will work out. You can't spend the rest of your life trying to avoid situations that might never even come to pass.'
Who says I can't! I don't have to do anything if I don't want to. She frowned and rolled her eyes at the way she was arguing with herself.
'I guess, but what exactly are you so afraid of?' Her conscience pressed, just as obstinately. 'Do you actually think he'd dump you or cheat on you? That he'd try to play you?'
No. She shook her head immediately. I think he's proven that he could be faithful if he really cared about someone. And he does seem to, she finally admitted with a sigh. Anna seems to think he hasn't slept with anyone else since we started this thing. And she'd likely know. With her job, she does have her finger on the pulse of most of what's going down in TC. And I haven't actually seen him flirting with any of the other women in a long long time. Good-natured teasing and joking around? Yeah sure, it's part of his nature. But outright flirting? No.
'Alright, so we've determined that you do care about each other, at the very least as friends. That you can't possibly be hurt any worse if things do fall apart or something happens to him. You're already sleeping together in heat, and you know that he wants you physically. He's been so obvious about his claim that everybody apparently knows about it! So what else is left for you to object to? Hell, for that matter, when did you become such a wuss?' Her inner voice snarked. 'Used to be if you wanted a guy, you just went after him and had him. It didn't have to mean some big thing. It was just sex. So what's changed?'
Logan changed me. Two years of worrying about that crappy virus changed me. My being the cause of his death changed me. She bit her lip hard and took another drink of her beer, unsure if she'd ever truly be able to get over that, or the underlying fear that lived in her now as a result.
'Okay fine, I get that, but who says it has to be all or nothing between you and Alec? Why can't you indulge in some mind-blowingly good extra-curricular play while you sort through this thing you have for each other? It might help clarify the situation.'
'He certainly seems to be okay with putting himself out there again, and is perfectly capable of making his own decisions. I'm sure he'd be willing to consider bumping things up to a more traditional Friends With Benefits type deal, if that's all you want or can handle right now. If you let him know what the rules and constraints are before you get involved, then it can be up to him whether or not he chooses to go along with it.'
That made her pause. That might not be so scary. Just dipping my toes in, instead of diving straight into the deep end. If he's willing of course...
'Do you really think he won't be? With how hot you two are together?'
Well, no.
'So just go for it already! Proposition him tonight and see what happens!'
I suppose I could. It's not like this is something completely wild or new. We have slept together four times already. Figuring some additional liquid courage couldn't hurt though at this point, Max called Kevin over again and ordered two shots of tequila.
I am tired of fighting this… whatever it is with him. And I've been so uptight lately. I can't remember the last time I just let everything go outside of heat. Since I acted like only a woman, and not as some sort of savior, or leader, or do-gooder. Since I worried about only me, and what I want and need.
Straightening her shoulders unconsciously as determination filled her, she drew herself up to her full height and assessed her reflection in the mirror, allowing a small seductive smile to slowly curve her full lips. Why shouldn't I have sex if I feel like it? It's not like there's some law against it. And Alec has been bugging me lately with all his 'All work and no play, makes Maxie a dull girl' crap. Maybe it is time I do something about it.
Alec entered the club and paused at the balcony of the loft area, looking out over the crowd below and searching for his partner in crime. A momentary break in the crowd by the bar finally allowing him to lay eyes on her and he stared, entranced by the vision she made. Something about the way she was holding herself seeming different than it had only a few short hours ago; her posture a little more open perhaps. Less restrained.
She looked impossibly sexy despite her casual summer attire, a concession to the warmer than usual weather they'd been having. Her dark auburn locks pulled up into a high pony tail, the ends of which were caressing her not quite bare shoulders. A red spaghetti-strap tank top and pair of faded denim midrise shorts were clinging to her body like a lover, the shorts looking like they were only barely defying gravity at the swell of her hips, leaving her midriff well and truly exposed. Her legs, tanned and lean, seeming to stretch on forever until they reached the tips of her toes, which were adorned by a well-worn pair of strappy white sandals. His eyes slowly drawing back up over her figure and lingering on the small of her back and curve of her ass, which seemed to have been made to fit his hand.
Licking his lips unconsciously as he noticed the shot glasses being laid out in front of her, he watched as she licked the back of her left hand and poured some salt on it from a nearby shaker, then took hold of a slice of lime. Barely even pausing, her tongue darted out to capture the salt; her right hand lifting and slamming the shot back, while her left brought the lime up to her lips, her cheeks hollowing slightly as she sucked on it. Slowly pulling the lime back from her lips, she licked them purposefully; the tip of her pink tongue taking it's time and sliding around to gather up all the flavors.
Then she repeated the motions a second time with a deliberateness that was intoxicating, almost as if she knew he was watching, prompting him to leave his perch and join her. Especially when he noticed another appreciative look being directed her way from the end of the bar. A predatory gleam lighting his eyes as he stalked down the stairs, a low growl rumbling unconsciously through his chest, his penetrating glare staring down the interloper before locking back in on Max once Trev dropped his gaze. A path opening up automatically before him, as everyone sensed an alpha on the prowl and made way for him.
Max turned her head to look for Alec, instinctively sensing his approach as he made his way through the crowd and then sidled into the gap being created for him beside her. His warm body brushing intimately along the length of hers; the sensation sending shivers coursing up and down her spine.
"Hey." She called out over the pounding beat, lifting her beer bottle in a silent toast and then swiftly draining it. Pleased and relieved to see him, now that she'd finally made up her mind on a course of action, she let her gaze wander over him once more, rechecking him for any sign of injury. Her eyes lingering perhaps a bit longer than necessary over the mouthwatering expanse of chest concealed by his snug black t-shirt. But he was in top form, and hadn't received so much as a scratch from this morning's battle, despite her worries to the contrary.
"Hey yourself." Gesturing at Kevin, he held up two fingers and then inclined his head toward the shot glasses and three empty bottles in front of Max. "I see you've already been busy."
She shrugged, not overly concerned, a pleasant buzz humming through her system although she was nowhere near as loose yet as she planned on being by the end of the night. "Took you long enough to find me."
"Yeah, well all the joints are crazy tonight and it just figures you'd be at the last one I checked." Scooping up their beers when they arrived, he directed her toward a slightly less busy corner at the far edge of the dance floor.
Nodding, she led them across the room to it, automatically weaving in and out of traffic and working some extra swing into her hips in an attempt to test the waters. Turning back to face him when she reached their destination, she plucked the extra bottle out of his hands, satisfied to see his eyes darting back up from her ass to meet hers.
"So how's everyone doing?" She asked, knowing he'd been headed over to medical earlier, to check in on their wounded. At least those that had been injured enough to require overnight care.
It took him a moment to respond as he swallowed a mouthful of beer, a slight gleam dancing in his eyes as he stared at her. "All nine are taken care of and settled in for the night. And I checked back in with HQ on the way over as well, and everything's good there too. Dix and Anna are going to hold the fort for us."
"Good. 'Cause I really don't want to have to go back there tonight." Lifting her bottle, she took another healthy swig.
Alec raised an eyebrow at her. "You're hitting it pretty hard tonight."
"Yeah, well, I could do with a little levity. So sue me."
He just stared at her, obviously perturbed, and she sighed, "What? You're the one who's been telling me I need to pull myself out of this funk and start living again. Are you really gonna give me grief now that I've decided to try it?"
"Sorry. My bad." He held his hands up appeasingly at her tone, not wanting to start a fight. "So, your plan for tonight is..." He let his voice trail off inquiringly.
She shrugged delicately, her lips quirking up a bit as she appeared to think about it. "I don't know. You know me, I'm making this up as I go."
He chuckled and moved in a bit closer to her, as he was jostled from behind. "Alright then. Need any suggestions?"
"Probably." She pursed her lips, frowning. "I think I've forgotten how to have fun. Seems like all I've done the last three or four years, everything I am, has revolved around working and helping others."
She sighed, "I mean, really, look at our lives so far. It's not like any of us ever had a real childhood, not growing up in Manticore."
He nodded in agreement as he took another pull off his beer.
"And even with my escape as a kid, it wasn't like I was ever actually free. I was constantly hiding who I really was. Making sure I never moved too fast, or was too smart, or too agile. That I never stood out in a crowd. And I was always on alert, looking out for any sign of trouble. I was so scared of Lydecker and being recaptured, that I never really let go and enjoyed myself. And after him there was Renfro, then White, and then the National Guard and the Government. All of them nipping at our heels like baying dogs. So when have any of us really had the opportunity to just live, and be ourselves?"
Alec shrugged deprecatingly after thinking about it for a moment, "Well, I sorta did. During the first few months I was out. Before you knocked some sense into me, that is."
She laughed and then rolled her eyes, "Yeah, you were kind of an ass back then, but you were definitely a free ass."
He laughed too and then smirked at her. "Always the ass with you, isn't it Maxie."
She just looked at him for a moment, then leaned around him to give it a once-over. Straightening back up after a minute to meet his eyes, she sassed right back, "Well, it is one of your best features."
A bit taken aback as he realized she was flirting with him, he eyed her curiously, wondering where this was leading. If he should allow himself to hope that she might actually be ready to let go of Logan's memory and move on. She did seem lighter tonight than he could ever really remember her being. His mind going back three months to the first real kiss they'd shared – outside of heat – and what she'd said afterward.
2023Apr19 – Wednesday – Approximately 01:00 am
He was captivated by her soft chocolate eyes, shimmering up at him with such thinly-veiled hope and faith. Unable to resist, he leaned in slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away if she chose. Gently taking her mouth in a kiss and brushing his lips softly against hers, he let it build between them at its own pace, gratified when he felt her start to respond, her arms creeping up around his neck, her fingers playing in his hair.
He couldn't believe how right it felt to have her in his arms. His lips feeling like they belonged on hers, his tongue slowly teasing along her lower lip until she granted him access. Their breath mingling, tongues slowly coming together, dancing and merging with one another in something so precious and intimate it was almost sublime.
But suddenly it became too much for her. She backed away from him like a skittish mare, her eyes huge as she shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry. I can't do this right now. I'm not ready. Not yet."
He'd lived on that 'not yet' and the potential meaning behind it ever since, waiting as patiently as he could for the day it might finally come to pass. And it looked now like maybe it had. Bringing himself back to the present, he asked intently, "So you're serious about this then? You're ready to rejoin the land of the living?"
"Yeah. I think I am." Off his continued appraising stare, she sighed. "I'm just so tired Alec, of always having to be in control. I need to let go for a while. To just be me and stop worrying about all this other shit. Is that really so wrong?"
"No. Of course not. You deserve a break. We all do."
"It's not just about taking a break though." She insisted, her hands gesturing a little wildly at their surroundings. "I need to learn how to have fun again. To just live in moments like these and stop over-thinking every little damn thing. To laugh, and drink, and dance... and maybe even start getting laid on a semi-regular basis." She darted a look at him after the comment, eager to see his reaction.
He looked stunned, his mouth agape for half a second before he recovered, "So have you got anybody in mind to help you with that last part?"
"What? The getting laid?" She asked knowingly, a sexy little smile tilting the corner of her lips.
"Yeah." His eyes were burning into hers now, his voice so husky and low it was almost a growl.
"Maybe. There is this one guy I know." She gave him a nonchalant glance, but there was a twinkle in her eyes that belied it. "Seems to be decent enough in bed..."
"Decent!" Realizing from her look that she was only teasing, he nonetheless put on a scandalized air and stared down at her, silently daring her to revise her statement.
"Hmm. Pretty good?" She suggested impishly as an alternative. When the only change that got her was a raised eyebrow, she shook her head ruefully and made a tsking sound. "Well, I can't exactly tell him he's an absolute god in bed, he's got a swelled enough head as is about that sort of thing."
He threw his head back and outright laughed at that, drawing her attention to his Adam's apple. And she licked suddenly dry lips imagining how good it would feel to lick that spot; to nibble on the taut cords running along either side of it and taste his skin. Setting her beer down on a nearby table and stepping in closer, she decided to do just that. In for a penny, in for a pound after all.
Startled when he felt her hands smoothing up over his chest, he looked down and gulped when he saw the hungry gleam in her eyes, allowing her to maneuver him back against the wall and press herself against him. His hands instinctively moving down to cup her hips, his beer bottle resting lightly against her ass. Without an ounce of hesitation, she raised herself up on tiptoe and nuzzled into his neck, taking in his scent and then pressing a line of nibbling kisses up along his throat to his jaw line, eliciting a groan from deep within his chest. She snuggled in even closer and rubbed against him when she felt him harden in response.
"Mmm. Not that I'm complaining or anything Max, but…" he sucked in a shaky breath as she nipped playfully at his jaw, her fingers stroking seductively up around his neck to caress his barcode, "are you sure about this? 'Cause I don't want to be on the receiving end of an ass-kicking later on if you change your mind."
She pulled her head back far enough to make eye contact. "Yeah, I am sure. About this anyway."
She chewed at her bottom lip for a moment as she tried to figure out what to tell him, then took a deep breath, preparing herself to make her pitch. "Look, just so we're on the same page here. I want you and I know that you want me." She glanced down significantly at his tighter than usual jeans and then met his gaze once more. "And I'm okay with that." She rolled her eyes at the semi-incredulous look he gave her and grinned. "Well, I am now anyway."
"But honestly, I have no idea where this is going or what the future might hold Alec. I can't make any promises, hell I can't even think about anything like that right now!" She shook her head definitively, her eyes focusing on his, wanting to make sure he understood. "All I really want to do is relax and have fun for a change. I don't want a boyfriend, or a relationship, or anything serious or permanent like that. All I'm looking for is sex. Casual, uncomplicated sex. So if you think you can handle that, if you're willing to-"
He was already nodding as he interrupted, "Yeah. I'm definitely interested."
"Good." She smiled up at him, then tilted her head as she heard the opening strains of one of her favorite songs as a young teen (Stompa by Serena Ryder), her smile growing even wider. "God, I love this song!" Reaching down to grab his right hand, she started backing up with him toward the dance floor, her hips already swaying to the heady beat. "Come on Alec. Dance with me."
Blindly reaching out for a place to set down his beer and thankful when he felt someone take it off his hands, he followed her willingly, captivated by the fire blazing in her eyes. Eager to lose herself in the music and him, she spun around and pulled him in close behind her as she forged a path into the wild swarm of dancers.
A groan slipping past his lips as she suddenly groped at his ass, pulling his hips in tighter to hers and rubbing suggestively against him, despite the crowded venue. "Are you sure you want to be doing this here Max? This is really public." He murmured against her ear, wanting her to be absolutely certain since she was usually so protective of her privacy, something he tried very hard to respect although he still didn't understand it entirely.
Not that anybody seemed to be paying them any heed as he glanced around cautiously to check; everyone too caught up in getting their own needs attended to. The mood around them positively euphoric and lustful, drinks flowing freely as more and more hook ups drifted off into the darker corners of the building or off to their homes for more private celebrations of life. At least half of the couples on the dance floor were off in their own little world, writhing and groping freely at one another without any real sense of modesty or shame. Not that any of them had been trained to feel that way of course; exactly the opposite in fact with the communal showers and barracks they'd been raised in.
"F#$% Alec. What the hell difference does it make? You think they figure that because we're their leaders, we're not supposed to get laid? Everyone pretty much already knows we get together during my heats, and that you've claimed me."
He jerked against her inadvertently, sounding surprised and somewhat sheepish, "Figured that out, huh?"
"Yeah. Anna made me aware." Wanting to distract him from pursuing the matter, she deliberately rolled her hips against him, feeling him hard against her ass. "Point is, why should we try to hide this?"
"No reason I can think of." He conceded. Not needing any further persuasion, and hungry for her as well, he wrapped his arms around her and started grinding with her. His eyes heated as he caressed the bare skin at her midriff, his fingers flirting with the edges of her belly button. Hearing her moan in the back of her throat as she pushed back even harder into his crotch.
Now that he had a green light to actually touch her, it was hard to decide where to begin; he had so many favorite spots and it had been so long. His fingers trailing all over her bare skin like a blind man to Braille; sneaking little forays under the edges of her tank top to tease her breasts and abdomen, traipsing down over her hips to stroke her inner thighs and trace along the hems of her shorts, sliding around and beneath to cup her ass. His lips pressing kisses all along the exposed flesh of her shoulders, his teeth nipping lightly at her neck and earlobes, making her gasp and shiver.
Both of them getting swept up in each other and the moment, neither paying attention to the actual music anymore, nor how many songs they danced to. Time passing swiftly and headily in a haze of dancing and drinking and increasingly bolder make-out sessions.
At some point past midnight, they found themselves out on the dance floor again, both of them quite happily buzzed on alcohol and each other. Alec's body pressing intimately all along her spine while her hands fondled his ass and the nape of his neck, keeping him close and wearing him almost like a second skin they were so in tune with each other, moving together as one. Her hips rubbing enticingly against his almost painfully full erection as he draped his left arm around her, resting his hand just beneath her right breast, damn near cupping it his palm. Her nipples erect and poking proudly up against the thin fabric of her tank top, drawing his admiring gaze as he dipped his head down to nuzzle at her neck and shoulder once more.
She'd lost weight over the past year, mainly due to her own neglect and overwork, and her shorts that had been fairly tight last summer were comfortable and loose fitting now. Making it extremely easy for him to slide his right hand down the front to rest low on her abdomen, just above her mound. His long fingers dipping lower from time to time and dancing along the edges of her most sensitive area.
"Oh f#$%!" Max moaned and pressed up onto her toes, widening her stance a bit to give him better access.
Barely able to hear her over the music, he asked, "Do you want me to stop?"
She tilted her head back and nipped at his ear, muttering against it, "I'll f #$ing kill you if you stop now."
Emboldened by the darkened and extremely crowded dance floor, and her throaty moans of encouragement, Alec slid his hand down further and cupped her through her panties, one sly finger sneaking under the damp lace and gliding wickedly through her slick heat. Timing his movements carefully, he slid his middle finger inside her and began teasing it around, coaxing her hips into a sweet counter rhythm that made it look like they were simply moving more seductively to the beat.
Extremely turned on by the risqué act as the heat between them soared out of control, he allowed his finger to delve deeper and deeper, his left hand molding her breast with abandon, his thumb stroking back and forth over her nipple, feeling it harden even further. The knowledge that they could get caught at any time - that someone might see them - exciting for both.
"Can you keep it quiet sweetheart?" His voice was low and husky as he murmured the words directly into her ear, sensing that she was getting close. "Or do we need to take this somewhere more private?"
She nodded shakily, almost panting for breath as she gasped wantonly, "Here." Her head twisting so she could find his lips.
Not hesitating, he added another finger to the mix, gliding them exquisitely in and out of her wet heat, his thumb pressing determinedly against her mound until she shuddered in his arms and gasped into his mouth. Her body stiffening and shaking before almost melting into his. His arm tightening automatically around her chest to help hold her up and maintain the illusion of dancing.
Pulling his hand out slowly, he wiped it discretely off on his jeans and then draped it back across her abdomen, stroking her gently and holding her to him.
When she'd recovered enough to stand unassisted, she turned around in his arms and leaned up into him, taking his mouth again in a shamelessly needy kiss. Not to be outdone, he hauled her up closer by her ass and deepened the kiss, nearly devouring her whole. When they finally broke apart, breathless, she met his hungry gaze and whispered against his lips, "Take me home Alec. I want you in my bed tonight."
Fairly oblivious now to everyone else around them, they swiftly made their way toward the exit, intent on continuing their evening in a much more private and definitely more naked manner. Neither of them noticing the cold blue eyes watching them intently from the bar.
Taking a sip from his drink, Trev's hand clenched into a fist around it. "Slut." He muttered under his breath.