Slade
Page 5
“I have, go change your clothes. I’ll meet you at the front door.”
Her chest beat as she ran back into the room. She took out her cutest jeans; they were also her newest ones. She had made sure they were trendy and ripped in the right places. Maybe, she was too old for them. It was hard to tell her age that was something she had in her favor. She paired them with her favorite red shirt and a pair of sneakers. She’d kill for a pair of sexy boots or heels right then. Of course, the heels would probably kill her if they were higher than an inch. She lifted one shoulder and let it drop. She was going out.
She reached for the door handle before she turned and picked up a small bag sitting on her bed.
“You can do this. You watched the tutorials.” She loved YouTube. It could teach you to do anything. Fishing out her mascara, she tried to put it on without poking her eyes out. Then she put on lipstick and just a little color on her cheeks.
Did she look like a clown? She did! Her hand reached for a washcloth even as the voice in her head told her she looked cute. Deep breaths, she left the bathroom before she decided to hide.
Slade was at the door waiting for her. He was wearing a pair of jeans that hugged his ass. His shirt screamed I’m all muscle worship my body mere mortal.
Yes, please.
“You look beautiful.”
“I do?” She raised hopeful eyes to his.
“You do.” Maybe he was just being nice, but she was going to believe him.
“Lead the way prince charming.” He chuckled and opened the door for her.
He hit G when they got in the elevator. “This is the garage level.”
“Slade?” Her voice was tentative.
“Yes?”
“Do you guys sell cars to supplement your income?” She looked around at all the luxury cars.
“No. There are things we miss when we settled here. Being able to get into a hover and zip around the planet was one of them. Planes are nice, but you can’t park them in your garage same with a copter. That’s how we got into cars. First, we wanted speed, then we wanted luxury and speed. Before long, we were addicted. Tell you what let’s take this car.” He led her to a car that wasn’t some big name whom she recognized. It was nice but not as luxurious as some of the others.
“Is there something special about this one?” She asked as he held the door open for her.
“I built it,” he told her as he got into the driver’s side.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“My hats off to you, this is amazing.” She looked around with appreciative eyes. No wonder it was green with hints of blue in the interior. She sank into the seat and realized she had enough leg room even though it was on the smaller side.
“I wanted to make something special when I designed this car.” He pulled out the garage with Mila staring at him. When they got outside he pushed a button. The car was enclosed with a see-through barrier. “Let’s call it my appreciation for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”
The car rose in the air. Mila knew she was afraid of heights but forgot to be scared. She laughed with pleasure. “I used to watch that movie all the time. I wanted to be one of the kids riding in the magical car.”
“Now you are.”
She leaned back allowing her body to stretch out as she watched the lights of the city below her. With one hand she reached up taking the bobby pins out that she used to keep her hair in a tight bun. It spilled over her shoulders in loose waves.
Slade turned to her, his eyes going wide. “Beautiful,” he breathed allowing one hand to come up and play with the ends of her hair.
When she was going from the awkward transition from teenager to womanhood, she decided to cut her hair. Me’akal walked in catching her with the scissors. He took them and promised her one day she’d be glad she didn’t cut it. This might be that day. The look in Slade’s eyes was enough to stop her heart and then shock it back into rhythm.
“Where are we going?” Her voice was breathless, but she was willing to ignore it if he was.
“There’s a small club named The Vortex. Rylee used to work there. It’s a safe place for aliens. If there is someplace else you’d rather go.”
“I’m with you.” That smoldering look of pleasure and need that he gave her was enough to turn that hint of wetness into a small trickle.
He set the car down into a space that she would have never been able to maneuver in.
“A car with the ability to go straight up and down has serious potential.”
“I know.” He opened her door and took her hand leading her into the club.
It was bigger and nicer on the inside than she thought. The outside looked like a dump but inside sat patrons who were obviously more than riff-raff. A band was set up in one corner. There were tables for groups as well as tables for couples. There were several spots that were darker almost giving the place a different type of ambiance. Then there were other spots that were brightly lit.
“I like it here.” She told him over the music that was loud, but not so loud that she couldn’t hear herself think.
They walked to the bar that had several customers sitting around it and a small man taking orders.
He looked up seeing Slade his hand went to his heart as his other one wiped at non-existent tears while he tried to control his grin.
“My heart Slade, you’re breaking my heart. Hello, beautiful,” he winked at Mila.
“Rory.”
“Just don’t, I can’t. Years Slade, I waited years for you to acknowledge that I was your one true love and what do you do? You bring this beautiful woman in here and ruin all the dreams I had of playing your boy.”
Slade glared at him while Rory couldn’t stop the laughter. The club as a whole laughed with him.
“I could turn you straight,” a woman called out.
“Gia you’re too much woman for me. Forget about being straight, I’d be dead.”
“Too true.” She threw a wink at him.
“Slade, what do you want to drink? Something imported from Sweden?” If it was imported from Sweden, it was code to say it could knock an alien on his ass.
“I’ll stick with a whisky.”
“I swear you're no fun. Beautiful lady what would you like?”
“A whisky?”
“I’m sensing you’re not a drinker. The name is Rory by the way.”
“Mila and I’m not much of a drinker.”
“Mila peaches or strawberries?”
“Strawberries,” she answered immediately.
“One strawberry daiquiri coming up easy on the alcohol.” He went to the back of the bar coming back a couple of minutes later with their drinks. Slade reached for his wallet. Rory shook his head. “I should make you pay ten times what it’s worth for breaking my heart. The drinks are on me. I just want Mila to have a good time.” He gave her a wink and went to fill another order.
Slade grabbed their drinks and led them to a small table for two.
“He seems nice.”
“He his. Rory worked the day shift before Rylee gave her resignation. I like to spend time here during the day. It gave us time to talk.”
“Is he in to you?”
“Yeah, but only as a friend. I think of him more like a little brother. I guess you could say we’ve adopted him. What’s one more person in the menagerie of people we have at the house?”
“I was so wrong about you.”
“Depends on who you talk to. We regularly go off world and break into different vaults because we can, not because we need the money.”
“Why is my daiquiri so small?”
“Sounds like fun.”
“It is.”
“I don’t believe you. I believe you break into vaults, but I think there’s a reason.”
“Never argue with a beautiful woman when she’s coming to your defense.”
"Why is my Daiquiri so small?"
“I think our bartender wanted to keep your wits about you? Dance?”
“With me?”
He nodded his head. “It’s a slow dance so all you have to do is lean into me.”
“I’d like that.”
“Shake what your mama gave you,” Rory shouted at her lifting his hand in a long distance high five. She raised hers and pretended to hit his hand.
“I like your friend.” Slade took her into his arms and moved slowly across the floor as a soft sound came from the band. One song turned into two and then three. Mila’s head was resting a little under his chest. She could scent him. The pumpkin pie scent was making her want to grip his shirt in her hand while her tongue caressed the skin showing.
“You smell edible,” she whispered secure in a world where only the two of them existed.
He lowered his head until his nose was pressed against her throat. “I like your scent too.”
The band broke out into the electric slide. Loud voices filled the club as the dance floor was packed.
“This is a human dance that everyone does together. We’ll stand on the outside and do what they do.”
“We’re warriors how hard could it be.” After the third time of tripping over her feet, she laughed and went with it. No one was making fun of them. A few people were even helpful in showing her the steps. When the band played something else Slade grabbed her hand and spun her around the room.
“I need water,” she finally called. He went to the bar and came back with two bottles.
“That was fun.” She raised her hand to her mouth.
“Alright, club can I hear the women in the house!” Mila raised her voice with the others screaming her head off. “Now here’s a serious question. I was thinking does anyone want to hear some country? You can line dance!”
The boos were coming fast. “You guys seriously suck,” the lead singer in the band said. “Come on anyone? We’re working on our country-western sound.”
“I know the moves to hoedown showdown,” Mila called getting into the mood.
“Young lady, did you just ask for a song from a Miley Cyrus movie?” She nodded her head at the lead singer’s question. “I love it. Come on city folks, I bet Y'all know the dance.”
“Come on I won’t stomp on your feet this time I promise.” She grabbed Slade’s hand and pulled him to the dance floor.
“It’s your feet I’m worried about.” Half of the club joined them on the dance floor. Mila gave instructions to those who didn’t know how to do the dance.
They danced and laughed until the band took a break.
“I can’t believe what just happened,” someone called out.
“Joey is that you complaining?” Gia’s voice rang out. “I saw you singing when you thought no one was looking.” He blushed and mumbled into his beer.
Mila laughed and tried to cover her yawn at the same time.
“I think it’s time for us to get back.”
She took his hand. “Bye, everyone.”
“Bye Mila!” The club screamed their goodbyes leaving her feeling good.
Chapter Nine
Mila stretched refusing to open her eyes. She wanted to let the last lingering thoughts of last night wrap around her before it was time to become the avenger of justice.
Slade dropped her off at her room with the sweetest kiss to her cheek. It didn’t scream your sexy, and I know it. Yet, there was something about it that warmed her heart. It made her want to step into the warm embrace of his arms one last time. Would they get a chance to hug again? Was she just desperate because her time was almost over?
Normal people didn’t fall for each other in a day. Anyone who ever confused her with a normal person was in desperate need of counseling. She opened her eyes. There was a lot she wanted last night. Not sleeping by herself was one of them. After acting like an ass when she first showed up and then dancing the night away she was too exhausted to do anything but climb onto the bed with her hand covering her cheek. A bad day had turned into a perfect night.
There was a knock at her door. “Mila are you awake?”
“I am.”
“Do you want to go downstairs and have breakfast with everyone else?”
No, she wanted to stay up here hiding away. She wanted one more day to herself.
“Quinn thought you might want to go to the mall.”
“The mall?” It had been forever since the last time they did that. Yeah, she might be hiding away torturing herself for things she couldn’t change, but this was the mall. “That sounds like fun, I could use a few more outfits.” She didn’t want to sound too excited.
“I’d fall for that, but I’ve learned the mall seems to attract the females in this family. I’d even say be safe, but there is nothing safe about the mall. It amazes me that the humans actually encourage women to go to these places of death and destruction. Breakfast will be in thirty minutes.”
“I’ll be ready. Slade… it’s just the mall. Really, what could happen?”
She got out of bed and practiced one of the electric slide moves she learned last night. One quick shower and a change into the only other set of jeans she brought paired with a lightweight pink sweater, then she was meeting him at the door. A cherry gloss spread over her lips making her feel feminine and proud.
“You’ll fit right in,” he told her placing his hands on her stiff shoulders.
Of course she would; she gave him a stiff nod. It wasn’t like she made an ass of herself yesterday. It wasn’t her that screamed she would save all the females from the demon spawn trying to breed them. Naw, that was some other deranged woman. She let out a shaky sigh, one day she would look before she leaped, but yesterday wasn’t that day.
They went through the living room and then into the empty eat-in kitchen. On the side was another room, a dining room big enough for the entire family. A family with cats that turned into children. She caught Me’akal sitting at the table looking at her with one brow raised so high she almost had to laugh. He had given her that same look last night when they exited the club.
“I’d accuse him of following you, but I suspect that’s his job. When will it end?” Slade had noticed that Me’akal shadowed them last night. He didn’t tell Mila not wanting to interrupt her fun.
“It’ll end soon,” she whispered back. “When I am no longer…”
“Don’t!” Slade’s voice was loud the growl making his word slur.
Mila nodded, one of the things she wasn’t was clueless. He knew she was about to talk about her death. It was a normal thing for her until now. Her stomach clenched at the thought of not drawing another breath. There was fear at closing her eyes and never opening them again. It was a healthy fear, what normal people used to keep themselves alive another day.
She could have forgotten about all of that, ignored it like it didn’t exist. She would have if not for Slade. The thought of not getting lost in his green eyes scared her beyond reason. If she died before she got to know what his lips felt like it would be a travesty. The desire to burrow back into his thick arms and allow him to hold her until this all blew over shivered across her skin.
She’d been strong for so long. Now she wanted…
“When Trogon is no more he will be released from protecting me.” For the first time, she allowed the thought that she might come out of this alive to hover in front of her. It hovered between them almost like a prayer.
“You know I don’t think I could have ever appreciated the eye fuckin’ between new mates if I hadn’t witnessed it myself,” Rylee said as she slipped into a chair.
“I should have cameras set up around the house to catch this kind of thing. You and Phoenix were bad,” Piper told her sitting down.
“This is nothing, wait until after they…” Brandi blushed.
“Seriously did you just blush? Come on Piper, I need physical documentation of this,” Quinn called out.
“If you must,” Marc appeared out of thin air. Marc was the AI that Piper gave to Rylee as a welcome to the family present. He still caught them by surprise.
“Did I scare you, humans?”
They all rolled their eyes at him.
“Do you still doubt my word?” Slade asked Mila.
She looked around the room. No one was giving her that you’re too weird to live look.
“Are you going to sit today? We want to eat,” Serenity was teasing her a smile playing over her lips.
“Food, then later the mall.” Mila sat in one of the two vacant chairs. Slade came and sat next to her.
“Yeah, the mall,” Tia screamed. “There is this awesome cat store, you have to see it,” she told Mila a sparkle in her eyes.
“Oh, he… heck no,” Quinn said in a loud voice. “No one under the age of twenty is going on this mall trip.”
“But…” Tia wailed. “I am so much older in cat years.”
“Doesn’t matter only humanoids over twenty are coming,” Quinn told her ruffling her hair.
“I never get to have any fun,” Tia said before sinking down in her seat to sulk.
“Yeah,” the rest of the kids said poking out their lips.
“I never thought I’d be jealous of the woman who didn’t have any kids,” Rylee said as she looked at both Elfin and Sela. “I do understand the desire.”
They laughed while filling plates and teasing Mila about her demon spawn comments yesterday. There was no cruelty or meanness. For the first time since she died, she felt like she fit in somewhere.
“I was beginning to think this wasn’t going to happen.” Piper raised her arms over her head to allow her body a stretch.
“Do you think other parents go through this or it just us?” Rylee asked.
“I refuse to believe that we are that different from the rest of the world,” Brandi told her.
Getting out of the house had been an ordeal. The kids had to hug them like they were never coming back while each gave them a suggestion of what they could bring them back from the mall. If they thought the kids were bad, it stopped when they had to deal with their mates. They acted like they were being airlifted into a third-world country to run a desert op.