STORY EXCERPT

Alexander picked Zack up under his arm again and carried him and the luggage toward the door. He lifted his leg and kicked it open with a deafening crash that busted the lock. Inside, two petite young men jolted, breathing hard from the scare. “Monty, Casey, I’m back. Why did it take you two ten years to find me a human who could enter the barrier?”

Both young men approached them, glancing at Zack dangling. “We apologize, sir,” the one with black, neck-length hair and blue eyes said, his head cast down. “It’s incredibly difficult for Casey and me to carry an unconscious human. It also takes a long time to pick someone, sir.”

“Out of my sight,” Alexander said with a sigh, and both young men scurried away. He carried Zack upstairs. “I sent a text message to an old friend. You and I are going to a party. Everyone will be surprised to see my pet.”

Zack remained quiet. This house was modern, yet it had no personality, as if everything was bought at a store only to make it look like a home. He tried to reach the floor with his feet when Alexander walked into a bedroom, but he couldn’t.

“You already wear preppy clothes, so it should be fine. Go with what you’re wearing.” Alexander sat Zack on the bed and opened another door next to the exaggeratingly-wide flat screen TV and went inside. It was a walk-in closet. “Stay put.”

It wasn’t as if he could outrun a demon. Alexander had shown him that much. Zack sat there while he waited. He still couldn’t believe he’d been tricked. Just thinking about it angered him. After everything he’d done for Alexander and the time they spent together, it had all been a play.

Alexander returned in a navy blue suit and a wine-red dress shirt underneath, as well as black dress shoes. His short hair was combed back at the top, the sides at a downward angle. He still looked tired. “Look, Zack. I clean up well, don’t I?”

Zack’s heart raced at the sight, but he quickly looked away. “No comment.”

“Don’t be like that, my pet.” Alexander walked up to the bed and cupped Zack’s cheeks with his big, slightly cold hands. He grinned when Zack moved his head away. “You don’t let me give you affection anymore. Are you that upset with me?”

Was he serious? “Obviously,” Zack told him with a scowl. “Are you going to let me leave?”

“I’m not,” Alexander responded and slid his thumb across Zack’s cheek. “Let’s go. You’re driving us there this time.”

Without retorting, Zack followed Alexander out. “I have a doctor’s appointment on Monday,” he muttered.

Alexander chuckled. “I know. What makes you think I won’t take good care of you? You’re going.”

That was a relief. Zack got into his car and drove them to wherever Alexander wanted to go next.

Zack parked near a house party. Was that place full of demons? Maybe Alexander had lied about him being the only one able to undo the marking, so he had to somehow find a way to ask another demon to do it.

As soon as they entered the house, all eyes were on them. Zack scanned the room for a demon who seemed to have the role of a leader. Raymond had mentioned that few demons could hide their presence from him. That could only mean Alexander wasn’t one to be messed with.

“It’s Alex. He’s back,” a woman in her twenties said to another, sounding giddy. If only they knew what he was really like.

“Alex,” a middle-aged blond man said with a glass of champagne in hand. He had a big smile on his face. “Where have you been? Did you find yourself a pet? I didn’t expect any less.”

Alexander rested his hand on Zack’s back. “This is Zack. I was trapped in a house this past decade and he was able to come and go through the barrier. He asked Ray to undo it.”

The man raised his brows at Zack. “This little guy can do that?”

Before the man could put his hand on Zack’s head, Alexander grabbed his wrist. Zack flinched at the disturbing cracking and snapping sounds.

“Don’t touch my pet, Marcus,” Alexander said with a half-smile and the hint of a threat.

“I’m not going to eat him, Alex.” Marcus shook his limp hand and the deep crackling of bones was regenerating his wrist.

“You’re here,” someone called out, joining them. It was Raymond in a black suit. “I found out who locked you in that house. It was Ezekiel.”

Alexander scoffed. “Then I’ll have a word with him when I see him.”

Raymond looked down at Zack. “Are you keeping him, Alex? It’s clear to anyone he doesn’t want to be here.”

“That’s something you don’t need to concern yourself with,” Alexander responded.

Zack noticed Raymond didn’t look like he cared. He was ruled out from undoing the marking. Now he needed to find someone who didn’t like Alexander enough to help him. The guy who they called Ezekiel was an option, but he wouldn’t be here if he’d been the one who put Alexander in that house.

“Anyway, now that you’re back, what are you going to do?” Marcus asked Alexander. “You can’t give someone like Ezekiel another reason to put you in a box. You shouldn’t have messed with his family.”

“It was a lapse of judgement,” Alexander said. He put his arm around Zack’s shoulders and pulled him closer. “I have to reconsider how far I’ll go from now on. Being confined for ten years was enough of a headache.”

Zack moved Alexander’s arm off of him and stepped away. His stomach tightened when everyone in the room suddenly looked straight at him with serious expressions.

Alexander held Zack’s hand, and Zack released it immediately. “He’s upset I made him my pet without his permission.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“He’s back,” Raymond said, standing by the window. “And he looks terrible.”

Zack looked over his shoulder from the couch, his heart thumping. He stood while Casey went to open the front door. Alexander walked into the living room with blood all over him and two holes on his shirt. Some of it had rubbed off on his cheek. “What happened?” Zack uttered with a frown.

“Ambushed,” Alexander answered curtly and regarded Raymond. He opened his mouth to speak, but switched his attention back to Zack. He put his hand over his abdomen. “A bunch of vampires attacked me. There were a lot of them, but I took care of them. I didn’t kill anyone, of course.”

Zack paced around the couch and approached him. “Do you need to go to a hospital?”

Raymond raised a brow at Alexander. “Why are you pret—?”

“It’s fine. I’m regenerating,” Alexander answered and leaned in. “Will you kiss me, Zack? I was worried I wouldn’t be able to see you again.”

His mouth fell open at Alexander’s words. With hesitation, Zack kissed Alexander’s lips in front of Raymond, Casey, and Monty. “Do you have a first-aid kit in this house? We need to treat your wounds.”

Alexander lifted his shirt. “There’s no need for that. I only have to wait to regenerate internally. But you’ll have to give me a hand, Zack.”

“I will, but stop straining yourself,” Zack said and put Alexander’s arm over his shoulders. Who had left Alexander in this state? They had to be rather powerful. “You should get cleaned up first. I’ll help.”

They went to the bathroom upstairs, and Alexander pulled Zack closer with his arm. “Are you worried about me?”

“How can I not be?” Zack told him and lifted Alexander’s shirt. “Lower your head.”

Alexander bent down so Zack could remove his shirt. “Maybe I should do this more often.”

Zack looked into Alexander’s eyes. “That wouldn’t make me worry, it would upset me.”

“All right, I won’t do that just to get your attention.” Alexander pressed kisses along Zack’s cheek and neck.

“We have to take care of this first,” Zack said, focused on checking the holes in Alexander’s shirt in the sink. Alexander hugged him from behind. “Are you in pain, Alexander?”

“It’s getting better because of you.”

Zack raised a brow, but continued checking. “What happened for someone to attack you like this?”

Alexander popped his head up next to him. “Do you think I started it?”

“You know that’s not what I mean,” Zack grumbled. He stiffened when Alexander brushed his groin against his ass. He looked up at him through the mirror, but couldn’t say anything. His heart was pounding.

“You’re very quiet,” Alexander said close to Zack’s ear. “Don't be sad. I’m not in pain. I regenerated before I came here. It only took me a few seconds.”

Zack rested his hands on the edge of the sink in defeat. “So you lied.”

“I wanted you to be worried about me.”

“I already was with all that blood on your clothes. You didn’t have to lie.” He could understand Alexander wanted his affection, but yet again, there were other ways he could’ve gone about it. “What are you doing?”

Alexander stopped pushing Zack’s pants down, his thumbs in the top hem. “Didn’t I mention we’re going to have sex again when I returned? Or are you tired? I’m about to burst just having you this close to me, but I can wait,” Alexander said and kissed the back of Zack’s neck.

“You’re asking for this when I just caught you in a lie?” Zack muttered.

“It didn’t last long, did it? I just told you about it.” Alexander rested his hands on Zack’s hips from behind and pressed his crotch against his ass.

Without warning, Zack jumped forward from Alexander’s hard thrust. Before he would bump into the mirror, Alexander put his hand in front of his forehead to break the momentum. Zack’s heart pounded. Did Alexander desire him that much?

“Sorry. I almost got carried away,” Alexander said and hummed. “Is it because Ray is still in the house? You seemed fine when it was just Monty and Casey.”

He couldn’t say he hadn’t been able to contain his voice before. Zack clenched his hands on the edge of the sink. Was Alexander waiting for him to say it directly? “I’m sure I can be…quiet. That time was only a coincidence of some kind.”

Alexander chuckled. “Was it?” He moved Zack’s pants down slowly. “I’d like to confirm, then.”

For a second there, Zack almost dared him to confirm. Instead, he didn’t move, allowing Alexander to continue until his pants and boxer briefs were off completely. It had been hours since Alexander had told him they would do it again. Alexander bent one of Zack’s legs to the side, and Zack shuddered at the feeling of the tip of Alexander’s cock rubbing against his hole. Zack’s arms shook as it entered him with ease.

“Do you know the perks of having sex in this bathroom? I can see you from here.”

Zack looked up. Alexander looked straight into his eyes through the mirror. “You don’t have to look,” Zack uttered, averting his gaze.

“Are you shy now that I saw you fully enjoying my cock? You didn’t notice I could see you, did you?” Alexander asked and pressed his hips firmly against Zack’s ass. “Why are you tightening up, Zack? Are you susceptible to dirty talk? I think I noticed it the first time.”

“Can you please stop talking?” Zack said with his head cast down, fighting the urge to move. The way Alexander squeezed the back of his thigh to keep his leg up told him Alexander was holding back. He shuddered once Alexander began to thrust into him.

Alexander picked up the pace. “You’re liking this position, aren't you?”