“I’m fine. It was a close call, but I made it.”
“I made it too. It was worth the terror,” Tori said with a secret smile on her face.
“Tell us all about it.” Lorali laughed as they circled around her.
Tori’s cheeks got hot and she ducked her head trying not to laugh. “I’m sure you can figure it out if you try hard enough.”
Janis laughed. “There’s no need to figure it out. Glad Hale was able to rescue you so quickly.”
“Why aren’t any of you freaked out about what happened to me?” They looked at each other and shrugged.
“Anything new draws attention. That attention is usually surrounded by some sort of hatred. We all have gone through something and have learned to take it in stride. We don’t like it, but we won’t give up the male we love either,” Lorali spoke, her eyes were haunted before she gave a bright smile.
Tori lowered her head. Once again she could see the love shining forth from Lorali, but it wasn’t just her. Dee and Janis wore that I am so in love look. The look Tori had begun to hate somewhere along the way.
“Tori, are you alright?” Lorali asked her frowning.
“I’m fine. Can I ask you a question?” She lifted her head and looked around to include all of them.
“Shoot,” Dee said with an ironic smile.
“How do you know you’re in love?’
“You don’t believe in easy questions do you?” Janis asked, looking at her.
Tori shook her head and waited.
“Sometimes we think we’re in love because we want it so bad. We don’t want to be alone or have to go through the whole dating scene again. We trick ourselves. Love is easy and it’s patient,” Lorali said with a faraway look in her eyes.
“Love is persistent without being threatening or overwhelming,” Dee added with a smile.
“Love cares when no one else cares. Love protects and walks with you in both the good and bad parts of life. Love sees you as whole even when you can’t see yourself that way,” Janis added to the comments.
“It’s a two way street, Tori. You love and the other person loves also,” Lorali said.
“Love is acceptance,” Lorali, Dee and Janis each said one after the other.
“Thanks that helped. Should we go see what the males are doing?”
“They are sitting and calmly waiting,” Dee replied with a shake of her head. “Niko said to me ‘Dee, stop pacing she will be ok.’ I walked away from him. Wait until it’s his turn, he will get those words right back.” She shook her head and laughed.
“How long has she been in labor?”
“Sixteen hours.”
They turned to the door as one rushing for the stairs when they heard Aran’s growl shake the house. Rena screamed and fell silent. They reached the top of the steps and stood outside her door with their mates. A loud piercing cry split the air.
“We have a baby!” Dee cried out as she hugged Niko, kissing him in joy.
“The baby is fine and so are his parents.” Nicolas’s voice rang out from behind the closed doors.
The congratulations and well wishes started immediately as the women cheered and cried.
“Alright Rena stop stalling, what are we calling him,” Dee’s called out.
“I just ran several marathons Dee, give me a minute to think!” Her tired, but happy voice came through the door.
“You should have decided long before now.”
There was silence in the room as everyone waited to hear the name. Nothing was said until the door finally opened and they were invited inside.
Rena was lying on the bed with Aran sitting next to her. In her arms was a small bundle.
Dee walked up to her. “Can I hold him?”
Rena nodded and handed him to her gently making sure Dee had him before she pulled away.
“He’s beautiful, Rena. I’m going to spoil you and then send you home to your mother.” Dee spoke softly as she caressed his cheek.
“Don’t you dare!” Rena said laughing with a grimace. “Don’t make me laugh, Dee. I’m still sore.”
“It is so on, Rena. So, give, what’s his name?”
Rena looked up at Aran. “Do you want to tell them?”
Aran stood and his chest puffed with pride. “We have decided to name our son Alexei.”
“Alexei.” The name went around the room as lips tasted it for appropriateness.
“It’s a good name,” Sergey proclaimed and the brothers chimed in agreeing.
“Rena needs sleep and Alexei needs to eat. Tomorrow everyone will get to hold him,” Aran said.
The color drained out of all Aran’s brothers.
“I believe I need to go away on company business.” Sergey murmured backing up a little.
“No one goes anywhere until they have learned to handle Alexei,” Aran growled.
“Great, make my child the guinea pig,” Rena said in a tired voice.
“Out.” Nicolas cleared the room. “I will be back to check on you in a couple of hours.”
“A baby.” Sergey said his voice filled with awe. “I wonder what a baby with blue/gray eyes would look like.” He looked at Lorali.
“Or one with your brown eyes?” Niko said looking at Dee.
The room cleared fast as they left.
“Guess you will be delivering more babies sooner than you thought,” Janis said coming to stand by Nicolas.
“Maybe. I’m not sure.”
“Why do you say that?” Hale asked.
“No reason yet.” Nicolas rolled his shoulders, “Just a feeling. I doubt it means anything, but I will look into it”
“Alright. Let us know what you find.” Hale turned and took Tori’s hand heading for the door.
“Always.” Nicolas said as he and Janis disappeared into the back of the house.
“Is Alexei the very first hybrid born?” Tori asked as she climbed into the car.
“As far as we know.”
“I am so happy for them.”
“I’m an uncle. We never thought we would have children. We weren’t sure we could.”
Tori slid her hand over to rest on Hale’s thigh. “You missed out on so much growing up like you did.”
“It’s hard to miss what you don’t know. We trained and our bodies grew strong. We enjoyed the games that were developed for us. We spent lots of time outside as children. There was a lake not far from where we lived, we were always sneaking away to go there. It wasn’t until our first change that we realized we truly were different.”
“You didn’t change from birth?”
“No. Our first change happened in the time period you call puberty. Like the boys on earth our bodies started to change. Unlike the boys here, our changes were more radical. Our bones stretched over night making every day a new adventure. We gained weight and physical strength.”
“Was it painful growing like that?”
“Yes.” He brought his hand to rest on hers, before he finally moved it to cover his thick bulge. “Everything stretched and became hard overnight.” He pressed her hand down on him.
Tori’s eyes widened. She caressed him. “Everything?”
“Yes.”
“That was painful.”
“You have no idea, but the pain was worth it.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence. Tori thought over everything she went through before and after meeting Hale.
“Hale, can I show you something?”
“Sure.”
She leaned over and gave him directions to where she wanted him to go. Sitting with her hand still on his leg she took the time to wonder why it was important for him to see this place.
Hale pulled up to the curb in front of the address she gave him. The sun was up and the house was lit perfectly in its rays. It was a beautiful wooden house with a Victorian air about it. A wrap around porch said quaint. It was just beginning to fall into disrepair.
Tori got out and came to stand in front of the house wit
h the for sale sign on it.
“This is where I grew up. In this quiet nothing ever happens here neighborhood. As a child I didn’t know what I had. I know now, much too late. I used to run up and down the street playing and then come home to my mom pouring me the coldest sweetest glass of lemonade. I lost the house after my dad died. I couldn’t afford to keep it.”
“Would you buy it if you could?” Hale asked her looking up to the third floor.
“Yes and no. My time here is over, but I wish I could buy it so I could sell it to a family I believe would appreciate it. I would love to know children were being loved and raised in this house like I was.”
She turned to look at him, “Sounds silly I know.”
“Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. When you love something, big or small you want the best for it.”
She shot him a smile. “Let’s go around back.
They slipped through the gate and walked around the house.
“There used to be a swing set here. I remember my excitement when my dad bought it and said to me, ‘Tori girl, I need help if you’re ever going to swing on this, do you know anyone who could help.”
“Me, me! I remember shouting excitedly as I jumped up and down. My dad had a big hardy laugh he used it that day before saying, ‘let’s get it done’. I am rather biased but I think it was the best swing set ever put together.
Hale smiled as Tori took his hand and led her over to the back porch sharing memories of her childhood with him.
********
The drive back to Hale’s house had been done in silence with Tori rubbing her hand against his thigh. Her trip to the house had somehow made her more open to moving forward than she used to be. It had also given her a wicked fantasy that she hadn’t thought about in years.
“Hale.”
“Yes, Tori.”
“I want you.”
“Then take me.”
She was out of the car before he finished taking the key out of the ignition. She took his hand and started walking away from the house.
“Did I see a swing set on your property the other day?’
“You did, there’s a sliding board and a jungle gym also.”
“Did it come with the house?”
“No the woman who did a redesign on the house was talking about the one she put in for her children. It made me think that one day I might need those same things. There’s nothing like seeing Aran and Sergey try to out swing each other.” Loud laughter cut through the night.
“Who won?”
“It was a tie.”
“So it’s strong enough to hold both of them. That’s good to know.” Tori stopped before the swings and gave him a smile.
“Tori what do you have in mind?”
“Nothing.” She bent over and took off her shoes. “The grass feels so good under my feet.
Slowly she began to pull the tee she picked up earlier over her stomach. Inch by inch she pulled knowing Hale’s eyes were glued to her movements.
“Do you mind if I get rid of this shirt?” her voice a low sexy purr.
“No, it sounds like a good idea.”
She pulled the shirt over her head taking the time to twirl it around in one hand before she casually tossed it aside.
“That’s better, I can feel the wind softly caressing my skin.”
“I’m jealous.”
A soft laugh came from her lips. “I feel so confined, Hale. I think the pants need to go too.”
She unsnapped the button and slowly slid the zipper down while taking in deep breaths of air making her chest move out and pull in.
“You ok over there, big guy?”
“I’m fine.”
“Good.” Placing her hands the waist band of her pants she began to shimmy her hips as the material moved then slowly came down.
“Umm that’s better,” she sighed, her voice was as soft as a feather as the pink thong she was wearing came into view.
“Tori.” Hale sounded choked up as if he was having trouble talking.
“Are you sure you’re good?” She threw him a wicked smile.
“Uhuh.”
She looked up to find him licking his lips as he stared at her. Her fingers seemed to be caught in the material of her pants.
“How can my pants be giving me a problem?”
She turned her back to him and bent over before pushing the pants all the way down. Her rounded cheeks were up in the air with a tempting piece of lace between them.
“Tori.” Her name was pulled from Hale’s lips.
She felt his hands on her, palming her cheeks. The caress sent shivers through her. She kicked the pants off and tried to stop the flow of liquid soaking the scrap of material between her legs.
He slid his hands around to caress her breasts as he rubbed his hard cock over the crack of her ass. The material of his jeans increasing her pleasure. The lips of her pussy contracted as a small moan rattled in her throat.
“I need to be deep inside you, Tori.”
The need in his voice made her shiver more as her sensitized skin caused her breath to catch in her throat as he ran a hand over her. She turned around and began to tug at his shirt.
“Let me.”
He stepped back taking his heat and leaving Tori feeling bereft. His hands made short work of removing his shirt. The rest of his clothes followed until he was standing there naked and proud.
She closed in on him taking his mouth in a deep kiss. “Hale, you ever think of something kinky you wanted to try?”
He shook his head with a slight frown on his face.
“Oh, maybe it’s a bad idea.”
“Tell me, Tori.”
“When I was young there was this girl who told me about making love on a swing. I always wanted to try it but never found anyone I trusted until I met you.”
He reached out and took her hands leading her to the swing. “What do we have to do?”
“I don’t know. You have to stand on the swing with your feet braced apart and I have to wrap my legs and arms around you. Then you swing.” She lowered her head not meeting his eyes.
Hale reached out placing a hand under her chin and lifting her head. When she was looking at him he lowered his head taking her mouth in a deep kiss. She opened her mouth for him encouraging him to go deeper.
He pulled her closer sliding a hand down her back increasing her shivers. Breaking the kiss he dipped his head and took the hard peak of one breast into his mouth sucking. His name came out as a hiss of need as she stroked him where ever her hands could reach.
He wrapped his hands around her and lifted her. “I love the feel of you in my arms, Tori. I have to be deep in you, love.”
“Take me.”
He positioned her lower body so that the head of his cock was rubbing against her slit.
“Hale.” He pushed in deep making her scream.
“Wrap your legs and arms around me, Tori.”
She wrapped them around tight as Hale reached for the chains of the swing. He placed one foot on the swing causing Tori’s head to move as pleasure speared deep inside her. Using the chains he pulled himself up. The swing moved and she held tighter feeling tingles along her spine from the additional pleasure the movement caused.
“Hale.”
“Yes, baby?” He bent just a little and used his thighs to start the swing moving.
Anything she tried to say came out in a garble of sound as her body convulsed in an orgasm. He swung higher as she licked him and worked herself against him. “So damn good,” she managed to say against his throat.
Hale’s rough chuckle rumbled. His beast was close to the surface.
“Tori, I feel like I can touch your soul.” He pumped deeper as the swing went higher.
“Do you trust me, Tori?”
“Yes.” He pumped deeper taking them higher.
She felt him bottom out in her as her body went over the edge again. Hale gave a deep shout as she felt him kick deep in her before he began to fill
her with his essence.
The swing went higher in the air. She felt an arm come around her waist catching her body that was quickly losing its hold on him, he took her higher than she believed possible. She screamed as her body shook uncontrollably with the orgasm taking over her.
He left the swing on shaky legs. Dropping to the ground he made sure he was on the bottom.
“Tori, do you have any other kinky fantasies you want to try?”
Chapter Sixteen
She stretched, feeling sore in all the right places. Her lips curved in a secret smile. How could her life change so much in a few days? She stretched out her hand only to find the bed empty. Opening her eyes she sat up looking for Hale. A sense of disappointment hit her. She already missed him. Shaking her head she got up, grabbed a robe and went in search of him.
She didn’t have to go far. He was sitting in the outer room with his hands in his head.
“Hale, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, mate.”
“I always sit with my head in my hands when nothing is wrong too.” She walked over to him and placed a kiss on the top of his head before sitting next to him.
“What’s really wrong?”
“I woke this morning and you were lying there so trusting.” He turned to look at her.
“I trust you, Hale.”
“I know. I began to wonder if you should. What right do I have to put your life in more danger? Even as I thought that, the desire to mark you, make you mine permanently was riding me hard.”
“This marking thing, is it like marriage?”
“No and yes. It is permanent, we would always be connected as one.”
“That seems a little extreme don’t you think?”
“No, it is our way. There are many species spread throughout the galaxy that mate for life.”
“What happens if I die?”
“Tori you will not die.”
“Humor me. What happens to you if I die? Do you find another forever mate?”
“I die. There will be no reason to stay here or anywhere if you are no longer with me. If we have children then I will raise them, after that…” He shrugged his shoulders.
“Then I think mating is not an option I would not want to put your life at risk.”
“You misunderstand, Tori. From the minute I saw you standing behind that desk with a look of cautious hope in your eyes I knew that you were my mate. From that point on, my life became one with yours whether you agree to become my mate or not.”
Hale: Love Me Harder - Alien Paranormal Romance Page 10