Dripping fire, p.5
Dripping Fire, page 5
“Yes, Mom. It’s been cleaned.”
Her mom was relieved. “Good. I hate cleaning that one. Well, bring it over, Alita. I will take it back to the house.”
Alita knew what was coming when she brought the dress over and handed her mom the garment bag. Her nose was curling before Alita got there. “Really? It is Sunday morning. Can’t you control that?”
She wanted to whine, but she swallowed. “I can’t control it, Mom.”
“Miss, you are twenty-seven, and you still live with your family. You will abide by my rules under my roof.”
Alita winced as the garment bag was pulled away from her, and the stain was noticeable. The hand cracked across her cheek a moment later. “Go change.”
“Yes, Mom.” She ran back to her cottage and looked for a shirt without a dragon. She didn’t find one, so she settled for clean jeans and a black shirt and a button-down shirt in place of a jacket. They hadn’t left yet.
She walked back to the meadow and hid in the trees, watching. Niko looked toward her and had no trouble seeing her in the shadows. He held his arm out, and he beckoned to her. She looked over and saw that her mother had been crying. Alexi was the one who looked furious.
She looked between them and her mother and the helicopter, and she ran for Niko’s arms.
Chapter Five
Niko murmured, “Your mom will pack up your things, and one of the cousins will pick it up today. Your possessions will be brought to the new house.”
She looked at him with wide eyes and shook her head. “No. I will pack everything. Just get me the boxes.”
Her mother sighed. “The last time Alita moved, her sister-in-law dumped bleach on her shirts and jeans. I will do the packing, baby. You just go before your father gets home.”
Alexi was frowning furiously. “Yes, that would be for the best.”
Niko murmured, “We will replace anything that is damaged, princess.”
“Some of those things were given to me in junior high and high school when my fetish became apparent.”
He lifted his brows.
“I didn’t mean fetish. I just... I got dragons for every occasion.”
He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You can have a dragon whenever you like. I also like your t-shirt.”
The Asian dragon on her chest was making a figure eight across her boobs, but her shirt was covering most of it. “You can’t even see it. I tried to find one without a dragon, but I couldn’t.”
“Oh, I can spot another dragon at a thousand paces.” He chuckled. “I will send one of the female cousins to help with the pack up of your things.”
“Why would they?”
He smiled and cupped her jaw. “Because we are family. Family supports each other, even when the request gets odd.”
She was going to ask him why they would do it for her as she wasn’t family, but the kiss stole her thoughts away.
When he lifted his head, she blinked slowly. “How do you do that?”
He ran his thumb along her lower lip. “Do what?”
“Make my brain go numb?”
He grinned. “Natural skill.”
She turned, and Alexi was in earnest conversation with her mother. She walked over and said, “Hey, Mom. I know that it wasn’t easy having me around, so I think it is best for everyone that I get out of your hair for a while. Make sure the guys take care of the horses.”
“I will. No more slacking. How often have you been taking care of the horses in the morning?”
“The last four years, since I got off the walker. It took a while, but I did it. Can I visit?” She swallowed as she asked the question, and it came out strangled.
Her mother hugged her. “I am so sorry that I reacted that way. I want the best for you, but I have always had it drummed into me that you aren’t supposed to show signs of being an omega.” Her mom cried, “And then, I saw you run. Yes, you can visit. Every day if you want.”
Alita sobbed. “And if you can’t take care of the horses, I have a list an arm long of good places who could take them in if the boys stop paying attention to them.”
Her mother hugged her, and that was when she realized that her mom had tried to protect her in the only way she could, by keeping her away from alphas and surrounded by the scent of horses. They were cheerfully sweet-smelling, but the smell was strong. The slick marked her as an omega even to the visually impaired, so she was supposed to keep it hidden. The slap had been fear.
“Why do I have to go before Dad comes home?”
“He won’t want to let you leave. He still has your wheelchairs and walkers in the garage all polished in case you need them again.” Her mother kissed her forehead and kissed her cheek. “I am sorry that I hit you. I just didn’t want anyone stealing you.”
“You don’t get to decide that anymore. I don’t get to decide that anymore. In six days, I am going to grab any alpha in my vicinity and take them to the floor and then cry and whine in a corner because I am alone in the world. I might even screw Reg Browder, just for relief. It hurts, Mom.”
“Can’t you handle it yourself?”
“You and Dad still sleep together, so what if he refused to let you touch him.”
Her mother blinked, and sadness filled her features. “You are lonely.”
“Understatement. I am howling and alone, and yesterday, I got a lot of offers to not be alone anymore from some nice, respectable alphas and Nikolai.”
Alexi barked a laugh. Nikolai snorted.
“Is he the one?”
Alita smiled. “He’s a match for me, or rather, I am one for him. I will be secure, and you won’t have to worry about me. That will be their job.”
Both men snorted in unison, and her mother laughed.
She accepted apologies for the slap, and though her skin still stung, she accepted the apology. She just wouldn’t get that close to her mother when she was close to heat again.
More hugs, and finally, Niko pulled her away from her mom and carried her to the helicopter. She was strapped in and with a headset as Alexi put on sunglasses and fired the rotors up. “Isn’t it more cost-effective to drive?”
Niko chuckled, and Alexi said, “Cost isn’t a concern. Niko’s loaded.”
She leaned forward. “Can I learn to fly?”
Alexi snorted. “I am not touching that.”
Niko murmured, “Maybe. It depends on how strong the bond is.”
Alexi said, “That is an answer I didn’t anticipate.”
“Wait. Why does it depend?” She leaned forward.
“If something happens to you and the bond is strong, I can find you. If it is weak, I have to guess where you are and what your condition is. I don’t like that. My beast doesn’t like that, and when he is agitated, he is unpredictable.”
“So, where are we going?”
Nikolai asked, “You know the house your friend Lexa lives at?”
“Yeah.”
“I have purchased the house next door. After living next to Grigory and his family for over a month, they were eager to sell.” He chuckled. “Now, you can live next to Lexa and Olivia.”
She frowned. “Where do you live normally?”
Alexi said, “A high-rise with a helipad. Penthouse. Heart of the city.”
She felt a pang. “You didn’t need to do something different for me. I can fit in most places.”
Niko stated, “The penthouse didn’t have a nest in it. You need one.”
“I really don’t. I just have a normal bed pushed up into a corner and some pillows to tuck me in.”
He glanced back. “What position do you sleep in?”
She frowned. “Um, a normal one.”
“On your side, on your back?”
“Oh. On my side, curled up with my back to the wall.”
He sighed. “That is the position of an omega under stress.”
“It’s fine. I sleep like that all the time unless... never mind.”
He grinned and turned toward her. “When do you not sleep like that, princess?”
“When I have tired myself out?”
Alexi laughed. “And burned out some batteries?”
“No, I gave up on batteries. They leave you hanging, and I do not have patience for that kind of frustration. And then... oh. USB-powered toys are delightful, and if you have a charging pack, you can even take them camping. I have spent a lot of time scaring squirrels. Anyway, so tired out from sex—even with myself—lets me sleep normally.”
By the time she finished her long-winded explanation, they had reached the new house.
A temporary landing area had been arranged at the bottom of the garden, and Alexi set them neatly into position. She pulled off her headset and put it on the hook then unlatched her harness and eased to the side. Nikolai calmly said, “If you think you are going to bolt from here again without us coming after you, you are sorely mistaken.”
Alexi snorted. “He means sore. You will be sore.”
She muttered, “I don’t get sore.”
Alexi looked at her and grinned. “Good to know.”
Niko chuckled and exited the aircraft then opened the door and held his hand out to her. She looked at him and placed her hand in his. He waited until her palm was far enough, and then, he sprang the trap, pulling her toward him.
“That is a sneaky way to get someone in your arms.” She was plastered against his chest, and he held her while closing the door.
He chuckled. “I perfected it with Alexi.”
Alexi snorted and led the way to the house. “I wasn’t nearly as hard to get as Alita is.”
Nikolai chuckled. “He kept telling me the entire time that he wasn’t into guys while kissing me and running his hands over me.”
She was carried with a hand under her knees and another around her back.
The house came to life when they walked in, and Alexi explored.
She looked to Nikolai. “He hasn’t seen it?”
“No. He can’t keep a secret. I have known you would be mine for over a month. I could not tell him, or he would tell you, and that would be the end of it. You would have run, and I would have had to chase, and the result would be a little sudden for you.” He smiled. “First, I will show you the first of your nests, then your study, and the heat nest.”
“Why two?”
“There are actually four. If you get tense, and Alexi and I are unable to assist you immediately, you need places to be physically safe and cozy.”
She blinked. “Right. Your mother is an omega.”
“With very specific ideas of how an omega should be treated.”
“Well, that explains why Lexa now looks like a super sexy-cuddly toy.” She chuckled. “She looks better now, though, and very happy. I wonder how many more alphas they are going to take on?”
“They had two in mind beyond the original three in the union, but now that they have one of the two, they are wondering about inviting the fifth if he returns to the area. Of course, if he does, he has the right to apply to their sloth, and Lexa has final right to deny him there.” She was set on the floor do to more exploring. He walked her through the kitchen with a hand to her lower back, and then, they headed up the steps.
His hand was warm on her back as they climbed the steps. She was suffering from a riot of hormones and wanted to pounce on him and let him carry her to the nest, but she didn’t. She walked next to him, and when she saw the dark silky and slippery fabrics and the fuzzy throws tucked at the edge of the round mattress, she sighed happily.
He smiled. “Did you want to try it?”
“Once I get in, I am not coming out for a very long time.”
He murmured in her ear, “I echo the sentiment.”
His fingers snaked around her waist, and his grip tightened.
She swallowed, and she looked up at him. “Did you just want to get it over with?”
He winced and reared back. “That is not what I was suggesting. I just want to climb into you every chance that I get. That will wear off, and then, it will dwindle down to three or four times a day.”
“How do alphas with omegas get anything done?” She blinked. “Oh. Wait. There are more than one of them. Poor baby, you are going to be so tired.” She clapped a hand over her mouth as he slowly smiled.
“And I have Alexi to take care of. Perhaps you could help me there.”
She mumbled under her hand, “Help you how?”
“I need you to take Alexi the same way you take me. I need you to be sweet to him. Can you do that for me?”
She felt a warm softness wrapping her mind when she thought about Alexi. Right now, she could only picture him clothed, but she really wanted to picture him naked. He felt all hard and muscly, but she hadn’t seen him in anything but a button-down shirt. She blinked. “Did you guys dress up today a bit?”
He smiled. “There was a good chance that we would run into a member of your family, and we wanted to look presentable. Alexi even made me comb my hair.”
She dropped her hand and said, “You both looked really... good.”
Niko smiled and said, “With that said, will you let your hair down?”
“Oh, why?”
“The beast really likes it.”
“Uhhh. Is that going to be a problem?”
He whispered in her ear, “Not for me.”
She blinked. “Um, where do you and Alexi sleep?”
He cocked his head. “With you, if you let us, but if not, over here.” He walked out the door, and he went across the hall and opened the door. A king-sized bed that would fit him and Alexi was there. She nodded. “Okay.”
Alexi grinned and bounded up to them, and she moved away from Nikolai so that Alexi could hug him. “This place is great. You made me a studio!”
She wandered down the hallway and looked into the guestrooms. Once she had finished her tour of the second floor, she looked up at the third floor and looked at the bedrooms and a playroom. This floor had been designed for kids. She didn’t know if she could have kids.
If that was why she was here, they would take her back when they found she was broken. She looked around and found a closet and curled in, closing the door. She sent Nikolai a text asking for quiet time, and she curled up on her side.
* * * *
Alexi came back to him with a frown. “Where is she?”
Niko looked at the text asking for some quiet. It had been sent two hours earlier, and there was still no sign of her. Without a link, he couldn’t find her, and her scent was so faint since he showed her his and Alexi’s bedroom that he couldn’t track her. His beast wanted to find her, but he didn’t know if that would be a good first impression for her.
Alexi frowned. “Why did she need to leave us?”
Niko found the answer in the question. “Because we are a bonded pair, and she is trying not to get in the way of that. You came up to hug me, and she stepped back. She does not want to tamper with our relationship, which is sweet but misguided.”
Alexi blinked. “Raised by betas, thinks like a beta. She may have had omega training, but her social reflexes are beta. She has also spent years trying to not get in the way.”
Niko murmured, “He wants to go find her. It is driving him crazy to have her here and not touch her.”
“Big him or little him?”
Niko chuckled. “Both. Big him can find her in seconds, but she won’t appreciate it, and we will have heavy repairs, so I think little him will have to do.”
He heard a soft sound, and he looked at the staircase to the third floor, where she was tiptoeing back down the stairs with her boots in her hand. He hissed and charged her, wrapping her in his arms and pinning her to the floor.
He started sniffing and licking at her so that no trace of her scent would escape him again. Alexi crouched near her head. “He was upset when we couldn’t find you.”
She squeaked when he pushed her shirt up and ran his tongue up her back. She tasted like honey and a bit of sweat. She had been in one of the closets in the playroom. He was going to nail them all shut. She would not hide from him.
“He’s taking in your scent so that he can find you in the house and outside of it.” Alexi held her hand. “You almost had a human-sized transformation coming after you. He hates doing that in the house. His wings snag on everything.”
His hand reached under her belly and rubbed the soft curve with the banding from the scarring. They would be dealt with... later. He unsnapped her jeans and opened the zipper, sliding his hand inside to touch the soft cotton of her underwear and then something peculiar. He lifted his head. “What is that?”
She pressed her forehead to the floor. “A slick pad. It stops it from going everywhere for a while. It’s gross, and I don’t like it, but...”
He soothed her. She was deeply embarrassed. “Did you want to get rid of it?”
She started to nod and then paused. “I don’t have anything else to wear if I get it everywhere.”
Alexi crooned, “Oh, we want it everywhere.”
Her whine of need went right through Niko. He flipped her to her back, slid down her jeans and panties. He tore off the pad and looked at it. There was a nullifier wrapping on it, and he couldn’t smell more than a faint trace of the slick. He held it up on his palm and blew a stream of fire that scorched it to ash in seconds. “There. Now no embarrassment. It was heavy. Have you been dripping this whole time?”
She swallowed and nodded.
His heart thudded, and blood roared in his veins. His beast wanted him inside her, but once he started, he wasn’t going to stop, and it was her first time, and he didn’t want to hurt her.
She made a small motion to pull up her underwear, and his control snapped.
Chapter Six
Alita watched as Nikolai’s dark head moved over her belly, and she heard the tearing of denim, and there was a slight tug as her panties disappeared. She tilted her head at Alexi and made a quizzical sound.
Nikolai huffed, and Alexi peeled her shirt off then reached behind her to unsnap her bra.
