Crimson Storm

by V L Moon

  The lights flickered, and then dimmed. The music lowered to a grumble. Shaver's eyes were drawn to the stage as Khadlyn strode to the pole firmly anchored dead center of the runway. Planting a booted foot against the base of the pole, Khadlyn grasped it and leaned out to full arm's length and swung around.

  “Good evening, wolves, vamps and others. The Den of Iniquity has a special treat for you tonight. Our own Mistress Alexa will be taking the stage to close out our show.” Khadlyn's waggled his brows and rubbed his hands together gleefully as he surveyed the enraptured audience. “But first, we have Ms. Angel Dreams, and boy does she make me dream.” Khad pantomimed stroking himself to the crowd's lusty approval.

  Shaver watched mesmerized while Khad walked to the edge of the stage, flipped the thumbs up to the DJ, and dropped off of the stage into the middle of a squealing mass of femininity. Shaver blinked and sighed. The females converged on Khad in a swarm of arms and lips. They quickly hid him from Shaver's view.

  Swallowing a growl, Shaver turned away and headed for the bar. While Damian filled his tray with the next barrage of orders, Shaver wondered how many of the twittering bitches would experience the whirlwind of Khadlyn's passion. Shaver tried to shove the thought aside, but it wouldn't budge. Too many times, he'd shared partners with Khadlyn. He knew how magnificent the male looked unclothed and pumping hard into a willing partner. A curse blistered the air.

  “You ok, Shay?”

  Shaver nodded. “I just need a break,” he mumbled in response to Damian's cocked eyebrow. The older wolf gave a quick nod. Shaver slipped around the bar and out the back door.

  Leaning against the brick wall, he stared up at the nearly full moon. He took a sip from the water bottle he'd snagged before heading outside and let his head drop so his chin rested against his chest. His feelings for Khadlyn were getting stronger. What the fuck was he going to do?

  He remembered when Khadlyn had been brought into their pack. An orphaned whelp left on the mainland. Trenton had found him and brought him to their island. Unwilling to have a bastard pup in his own home, Trenton had fostered Khad with another pack family. A family that had resented his intrusion.

  Shaver and Damian had been chasing Alexa through the underbrush when she stumbled upon the ragged, unkempt boy. Without hesitation, she'd added him to their little pack, making them a foursome. What Khad didn't get from his foster family, they gave him. He'd resisted at first. His wolf's pride had been strong even at the tender age of seven. Alexa, however, never knew how to take no for an answer. Still didn't for that matter.

  Shaver chuckled at that thought and tried to shake the melancholy that gripped him. For some reason, the memories just wouldn't stop. The four of them had been as thick as thieves growing up. When one was found, the other three were close. Only at night when they returned to their respective homes were they separated.

  It had been about a week after they found him huddled in the woods that Khadlyn first appeared at his bedroom window in the middle of the night. Shaking from cold, he'd hung his head miserably and asked to come inside. Shaver hadn't hesitated, nor had the window ever been locked again. At first, Shaver hadn’t known if Khadlyn would be there when he woke the next morning, but by the time they reached their teens, Khadlyn spent more time in Shaver's bed than he did at his foster parent's' home.

  Shaver never mentioned the bruises and blood that peppered his friend's body. In return, Khadlyn never questioned the stash of food and first aid supplies Shaver horded for him in his closet. It wasn't until he was eighteen that Shaver realized he was in love with Khadlyn. By that time, Khad's sexual prowess was legendary. Damian and Alexa teased him mercilessly. Shaver, on the other hand, dreaded the mornings he awakened to Khadlyn reeking of another's scent. But, the mornings he woke without the other male curled around him were far worse.

  Shaver shoved away from the wall and paced. He missed those nights. Nights when it was only him and Khad twined together in a single bed. He understood the need to flee the island. He, like the others, embraced the freedom of living at Iniquity. Yet, he longed for the darkened room where the only sound was the gentle breathing of the male he loved.

  Five years. It seemed like forever, but it wasn't. And, suddenly the horror ride down memory lane made sense. Iniquity was celebrating its five year anniversary. That was why Alexa was dancing and why Delia was there. And, why his chest ached like a son of a bitch. Shaver rubbed a hand across the leather covered area and grimaced.

  “Stop being a whiny pup,” he scolded himself aloud before slamming back inside. After all, he still got to sleep with Khad every night. So what if it wasn't just them anymore. Right?

  Entering the bar again, his eyes traveled to where he'd last seen Khad. The male and the gaggle of females were gone. No surprise there. Huffing out a breath, Shaver found his tray and the watered down drinks. Before, he could speak, Damian's strong hands swiped the drinks and replaced them with fresh ones. When Shaver raised his eyes to meet Damian's penetrating gaze, he saw the concern.

  Shrugging a shoulder, he forced a smile and gave his friend a nod. “I'm cool, just needed fresh air. It’s packed in here tonight.” Damian's scowl told him the older wolf wasn't fooled.

  ~*~*~*~

  Away from the spotlight, Khad's body thrummed. The heightened draw of the oncoming full moon played his body like a full deck of cards. His skin itched to be touched and stroked, be it hands or fur. Lust lay just below the surface of his skin, bristling, rolling over sinew, bone and muscle. Fuck, how easy it would be to just fall into the arms of the surging crowd and let them take away the all-consuming tide of arousal that constantly ached in his loins and burned a gaping hole in his heart. But the crowd wouldn’t assuage his needs. Only one would stop the incessant clamoring in his soul. He wanted Shaver.

  Shame so raw it held him hostage rose like a tide of nauseous vomit. Khad wasn’t ashamed of his feelings for Shaver. Shaver was beautiful, caring by nature and his wolf was beautiful. He was perfect, and one day, he would make some sissy assed female really fucking happy. The thought grated on Khad like wire fucking wool. No she wolf alive could love Shaver like he could.

  “FUCK!”

  The roar of the crowd brought Khad’s head up. His eyes flicked over to the bar and there he was, his Shaver. The other wolf was his best friend; the friend that had made so many nights easier to bear. When the pain of not belonging had left Khad a battered and bloody mess, Shaver’s window had been his beacon, his port of call in a raging storm of hatred, abuse and despair. He, Lexi and Damian had given Khad some semblance of hope and humility. And what had he done in return? He’d fallen in love with the hand that fed him.

  If truth be known, it would have been easier to fall for Alexa. At least that was acceptable in the pack. Displays of attraction between wolves of opposite sex were normal and entertained by the pack. Even though Alexa would have beaten his ass, it would have still been better than condemning your best friend with your own misplaced lust. There was no easy way to spout “oh yeah, I'm gay and by the way, when this wolf boy’s rosy palm grips his cock, it’s your face that makes my day.” Yeah, some thank you that would be.

  Shaver hefted the tray of drinks and disappeared into the twisting sea of bodies. Khad barely restrained the temptation to snarl and tear at the wall of groping, gyrating dancers. He gagged as the human stench, for the first time ever, became too much. Shoving through the crowd, he made his way to the bar area. By the time Khad reached Damian, his eyes had shifted. He surveyed the crowd through wolf eyes, predatory and cornered. And didn't that give away the fact he was in shit poor shape.

  He needed to get out, to think. No, what he really needed was to lay wrapped up in a tangle of limbs that held onto his dreams, ones he knew would never be fruitful. But, Shaver was working, and even if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t understand Khad’s need. So Khad did what he did best, he slipped on the mask, the façade of his life. The lie.

  Someone moved in close. Muscled arms wrapped aroun
d him. Khad knew the arms that held him. Damian’s head rested against him, brow to brow. The closeness of a pack mate helped, and it wasn't long before the cheeky mask of a grin spread over Khad's face. It wasn't a full smile; it never reached his eyes like it did when Shaver was near. However, it was enough to let Damian know he'd helped get Khad back on track. Damian thumped a heavy palm against his back and pulled away.

  “You good?” Khad nodded. Damian grasped the back of his neck and squeezed. “You’ll let me know if you’re not?” Again, Khad nodded. It was as if Damian knew his struggle. Every day was a choice between getting off his face drunk or just plain and simply getting off. Most often, he chose from the tide of females or males that proved more than useful when you needed to feed and forget.

  ~*~*~*~

  Chapter Fourteen

  ~*~*~*~

  Behind the curtain, Alexa reached out to lightly grasp the steel pole. Absently, she caressed its smooth length as she took deep breaths preparing herself for the performance. The audience quieted when Khad’s rich baritone voice growled out of the speakers with her introduction. Alexa smiled. Khad was such a flirt. The females and the males lusted after the wolf, and he often obliged their desires in the secluded booths provided for that purpose. Her smile faded when another face drifted into her mind.

  Shaver. Desperately in love with Khad, the male struggled more and more with Khad’s promiscuous behavior. Trouble was, Khad’s feelings mirrored his own; yet, neither wolf dared voice their feelings for fear of rejection. Letting nature take its course was hard for Alexa, but it wasn’t her to place to interfere. At least, not yet.

  Alexa was drawn from her thoughts by the first throbbing strains of Dirty Dancer. The song by Usher and Mr. Iglesias fit her perfectly. Taking her place behind the pole, Alexa posed; black thigh-high stiletto boots spread wide, hips cocked to the right, one hand wrapped around the pole, the other tunneled into her mane of tumbling red curls. With her head thrown back and spine arched, her magnificent breasts thrust toward the overhead lights. The red, star shaped pasties that barely covered the dusky aureoles of her nipples sparkled beneath the illumination. They also exactly matched the red sequined barely there thong.

  As a she wolf, Alexa wore her nakedness easily. It felt more natural than the clothing donned every morning because humanity required it. The curtain lifted and Alexa’s smile returned. She didn’t perform very often, leaving the nightly work to her staff who desperately needed the tips. But, the club was celebrating its anniversary and Alexa needed the physical outlet.

  Holding the pose until the curtain reached its zenith, Alexa slowly rolled her torso upward bringing her head up slowly despite the fast paced music. Lips pursed, eyes half-lidded, she surveyed the feverish crowd. Whistles, shouts and moans floated to her ears despite the pulsing music. Unconsciously, she ticked off the beats.

  With agile grace, Alexa bent her knees and leaped straight up. Long, lithe legs wrapped around the pole. Arms extended over her head, she pressed into the cool metal allowing it to slip fully between her thirty six triple Ds. The cool metal hardened her nipples. Using her arms and thighs, Alexa rode the pole. The metal slid easily between her thighs and massaged her nearly exposed clit. Her breath caught on a moan.

  After several trips up and down the solid length, Alexa released the pole with her hands holding herself up with the strength of her legs. Flattening her palms against her hips, she smoothed her fingers up over her flat stomach, over her ribs and cupped the massive weight of her tits lifting and spreading them away from the pole. Falling backwards, she caught herself on her hands. Her hair pooled between them. Her hips rotated in time with the music grinding her core against the pole. As she unwrapped her legs, she balanced herself easily on her arms. With one foot she kicked free of the pole and flipped in a perfect back walkover. The assembled crowd roared.

  Following a slow sensual stroll back to center stage, Alexa planted one boot at the base of her mount and leaned out, arm fully extended. Deftly, she swung in a slow circle until her leg embraced the metal. Straightening her back, Alexa brought the other leg up high, her heel extended straight up over her head held in place by a forearm locked around her knee. Those close to the stage caught a glimpse of the dampened satin between her thighs and howled their approval.

  Maintaining the position, Alexa bent her knee rubbing herself against the steel. The musky scent of her arousal wafted free. The males in the first three rows went wild; their own musk saturated the air. Alexa absorbed it, reveling in the power it gave her. Caught up in the moment, Alexa unwound herself from the pole and swayed her way around it. She stopped and leaned back against the steel and slid gracefully down, knees spread wide and heels close together. Bracing her hands on her knees, she arched her spine and flexed her hips back and forth in slow sensual rolls. Growls and howls of arousal rose steadily.

  In the midst of the wolves, the heady scent of vampire tickled her nose followed closely by a mix of Fae and something more than human. Surging back to her full height, Alexa strode away from the pole toward the end of the stage and the earsplitting throng. At the edge of the stage, she spun on one leather clad heel. The other leg swung out over the mob before coming to rest a shoulder length away from the other. Her hands once again found her knees and with legs locked she swayed her naked derriere out over the mass of horny clubbers just beyond the reach of extended hands.

  Twisting back around, she stopped and bounced her ass up and down in time with the fast thumping music. A loud crash sounded beneath her as the barrier was breached. She didn’t stop. The terrified shriek of whatever dumbass had dared come closer reached her ears. Jacob was on the job, and he was lethal.

  Heading back to the middle of the stage as the song continued, Alexa grabbed the pole and swung herself around legs spread wide and angled away from the mount. Her arms strained only slightly until her feet found the floor again. Giving herself over to the performance, Alexa made love to the pole. Before she finished, the cold steel split her ass cheeks, rubbed hard against her core and soothed aching nipples.

  The scent of her arousal inundated the stage and spread like wildfire enflaming the crowd even more. With the last beat echoing from the speakers, Alexa hung upside down suspended by only her right leg, thigh and ankle wrapped tightly around the support. Her female center pressed hard against the metal throbbing with need. Her breasts heaved from the exertion of the dance and a predatory smile graced her face. Her hair brushed the floor as her eyes once again scanned the club landing on Damian’s frowning face behind the bar. She winked at him and with practiced ease, she flipped herself upright, saluted the wailing crowd and exited the stage.

  Backstage, exhilaration flooded her. Strolling to the dressing room, she smiled at all of the regular dancers who gushed praise.

  “Fantastic routine, Lexi.” Alexa’s head spun to the right, Shaver stood against the swinging door leading back into the club. One hand braced against the jamb. Crossing to him, she brushed a kiss across his cheek.

  “Thanks, hon. Is it break time? Where’s Khad?” She could have bitten off her tongue at the look that crossed Shaver’s beautiful face. Such sadness did not belong there. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared and Shaver shrugged.

  “Private booth, bathroom, dressing room, outside in the trees. You know our boy.” Shaver’s joke elicited twitters of amusement from the other females, but Alexa heard the bitterness just beneath the surface although he tried so hard to hide it. She reached out and grabbed his hand.

  “Well, I’m the boss, and I say its break time.” Tugging him past her, she leaped onto his back and reached back to smack his ass. “My dressing room, stud. This female has needs,” she teased.

  Beneath her forearm, she felt the heat of his blush race up his neck, but he dutifully grasped her naked thighs and headed for the back of the building. Normally, she reserved such antics for Khad or Damian, knowing full well how easily Shaver became embarrassed. On the other hand, she didn’t like seeing he
r friend upset. Their pack link connected at the skin on skin contact and she sent soothing positive energy into him.

  It wasn’t what his alpha could give him, but it worked. The shoulders beneath her arms relaxed and the tight grip of his fingers on her flesh loosened to a more natural hold. Even his gait slowed and smoothed out. She brushed a soft kiss against the back of his neck and moved so her lips were just behind his ear.

  “You okay, Shay? Anything I can do?”

  His tawny head did the negative back and forth. His right palm slid up and down her thigh. Per usual, he tried to soothe her, shoving his own problems to the side.

  “I’m fine, Lexi, just been a long night. Here ya go.” He stepped across the threshold and kicked the door closed behind them. Sinuously, Alexa slid her legs away from his hips and stood behind him her hands still on his shoulders. She squeezed slightly.

  “I’m here, Shaver. If you need to talk. About anything. I’m here. So is Damian.”

  He nodded and turned to face her. If he noticed she’d omitted Khad’s name, he didn’t say so. Instead, he hugged her and kissed her forehead. “I know, Lexi,” he said quietly and stepped past her and out of the door.

  After pulling on the discarded micro mini and the club issue black leather vest, Alexa emerged from the dressing room into the churning dancers. She headed for the bar where Damian worked to fill orders. Just a few feet from the black granite expanse, a blood drunk vampire stepped into her path. Chilly fingers closed around her upper arm.

  “It’s your lucky night, sweet cheeks. I saw the way your eyes lingered on me while you danced. I accept your offer.” He leaned close. “I can’t wait to taste that fiery blood.” Alexa heard the snick of his fangs dropping and lunged backwards.