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  While we ate, Dana told me a little about herself, including the fact that she was married to a were-dragon named Dean, who was a good friend of both Alex and Mason, and also one of the commander’s top men when it came to fighting the Darkwings. Dana also told me that Iverson Towers was a building that was primarily for the commander’s “inner circle” people to live in, and since she and Dean had an apartment there, we were neighbors, though separated by ten floors.

  “So, anytime you want to visit me, you’re more than welcome to just come on down.”

  Happy to have made my first friend in town, I said I’d love to.

  Dana and I continued chatting while we ate, but when the subject turned to Alex and Mason, and how the three of us were “getting along,” as Dana put it, I began to feel decidedly less chatty.

  Lowering my gaze to my plate of food, I also lowered my voice a bit so that none of the women nearby could hear me. “Sorry. It’s just that I’m still getting over the shock of pretty much being taken from my home on the commander’s orders, just because of my stupid eyes, and then I kind of had a stupid flip out and was really rude to Alex last night.”

  “Rude” probably to say the least.

  “So, maybe, if you don’t mind, we can just talk about something else right now instead.”

  Dana said no problem, and that she understood completely. “Just know that if you ever do want to talk about anything or everything with Mason and Alex, I’ve got a good set of listening ears, so come to me anytime you want.”

  I said I would, then changed the subject by asking if the cafe served crepes. “As long as I'm having eggs, sausage, and buttered toast this morning, I guess I might as well go all out.”

  Dana soon flagged down the waitress and ordered chocolate crepes for us both, remarking that despite her very slim figure, she was a fan of “going all out” sometimes, too. “In fact, I actually ‘go all out’ at least a couple times a week. I have a bit of a sweet tooth, and life is short, you know?”

  Recognizing a woman after my own heart, I was starting to like Dana more and more.

  While we continued eating, I began thinking about the phone call I’d overheard my first day in the city, now knowing that the speaker had to have been either Mason or Alex. I’d always had a “good ear” for recognizing voices, and I knew I wasn’t wrong. It had definitely been one of them that I’d heard talking.

  Although part of me felt like I had bigger problems to deal with currently, I hadn’t been able to put that incident out of my mind completely, and I now wondered if I should tell Dana about it and ask for her opinion as to whether or not the whole thing could have just been a joke or something. After all, the person speaking had chuckled a few times, like maybe what he was saying was just for the amusement of the person on the other end of the line.

  However, the longer I thought things over, the more I felt like maybe I didn’t quite know Dana well enough to give her the full story. Maybe it was just that I didn’t know if I could trust her to keep it a secret. I also didn’t want to “out” myself for eavesdropping either, not like I’d really had a choice in the matter, being that I hadn’t been able to leave the commander’s little office.

  Ultimately, I decided to ask Dana a very general sort of question, hoping that her response might at least shed some light on what I’d overheard.

  “So…Alex and Mason maybe aren’t the closest of brothers, right?”

  Without even looking up from her food, Dana nodded. “Oh, yeah. They work well together as far as fighting off the Darkwings and all that, but I know just from things Dean has told me that they’ve always had a sibling rivalry thing going on beneath the surface. Probably not hugely surprising, considering what family they come from.”

  “So…do you think they’d ever try to hurt each other or anything like that? I mean…do you think one would ever try to take the other out?”

  Dana suddenly stopped cutting off a bite of her chocolate crepe with a fork and slowly looked up at me, frowning. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, and it’s really none of my business, but it sounds to me like you, Alex, and Mason might really need to get to know each other a little better, because it’s clear to me that you really don’t know either of them at all at this point. They may have a sibling rivalry thing going, and they may be really different as far as personality…but they’re both really good men. They’re both men of honor. They’d never try to hurt each other. In fact, I think this is why the commander decided to put stock in his mother’s prophecy and bring you here as a way to take the decision of picking a successor out of his hands. I think that Alex and Mason are both just such good men that he knows he’d never be able to pick who’s most worthy. Sounds like you have a way to go before you’ll be able to do that yourself.”

  Instantly mortified by Dana’s vaguely accusatory tone, I picked up my fork and began cutting at my crepe, avoiding Dana’s eyes. “Oh, you’re right. I already know. I really need to get to know Mason and Alex better before I even think about making a choice about who should be the new commander. That was just a silly hypothetical question I asked you, by the way. I didn’t mean to imply that Alex and Mason would actually hurt each other or anything like that. I guess I’m just trying to find out more about them in general.”

  “Well, there’s certainly nothing wrong with that, and again, it’s really none of my business, but you might want to start asking more questions of Alex and Mason themselves, because it sounds like maybe the three of you aren’t very comfortable as far as communication goes yet. I know it’ll take time, but just know that they’re both really good men, and good leaders, and they’ll answer any other questions you have with complete honestly. And if Alex strikes you as a little too stern, because I know he can come off that way a lot, don’t be surprised. I'm sure you’ve already discovered this, but Mason is a little more laid-back as far as personality. He’s just a little quicker to laugh, I guess you could say. Honestly, now that I’m thinking about it, I’m not sure that I’ve ever heard Alex laugh even once. He’s just kind of serious a pretty good part of the time. At any rate, though, maybe do really try to open up to both brothers, even if you’re a little hesitant. You’re going to have to eventually in order to pick one of them as the new leader.”

  I put my fork down, suddenly unable to eat another single bite of my crepe, but not necessarily because I was getting full. As if I hadn’t had my mind rattled enough the night before, I now was beginning to feel the full pressure of what I had been brought to New Detroit to do. Essentially, the entire nation’s future was in my hands. That’s what it felt like at present, anyway, and this was even without the added pressure of eventually figuring out who I’d overheard on the phone.

  I was sick of thinking. Seeming to sense this, Dana soon changed the subject to talking about a new department store that was opening downtown, and I was grateful. I really needed a mental break and more light chatter.

  To my relief, that was what I got for the whole rest of the day. Dana and I strolled around the city for a few hours, visited several shops and stores, and then enjoyed a late lunch at a small restaurant. Then, we headed back to our building so that I could see Dana’s apartment and have a cup of tea before going back to my own.

  When I left her apartment around five, I was near-desperate to see Alex and Mason, knowing that Dana was right. I needed to talk to them more, needed to spend more time with them. I figured this alone would probably eventually make it clear to me who I’d overheard on the phone. As it was, I was beginning to think it was Mason, just because of his propensity to joke around a lot.

  To my disappointment, not long after I’d gotten home to my own apartment, I received a text from Dana. Just heard from Dean, and I don’t think you’re going to be seeing Mason and Alex this evening. There’s some kind of a Darkwing problem- something with more spies. Dozens of them. They’re supposedly miles to the west of the city, hiding in the forestland in their wolf forms. Something just tells me our wer
e-dragons are going to be busy all night trying to deal with them.

  She went on to say that Dean had told her there was even a possibility that he wouldn’t be home until the next day.

  Which means that Alex and Mason might not be either. You should feel free to call or text them in the meantime, though. Even when patrolling the skies or chasing down Darkwings, all the shifters take breaks sometimes.

  I didn't want to call or text Alex and Mason. I just wanted to see them in person.

  It turned out that I wouldn’t see either of them for three more days. Not until Alex showed up at my door one evening, asking if he could come in and talk to me. To my extreme surprise, he was alone, with Mason nowhere in sight.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  I told Alex to come on in, and he did, stepping inside the foyer and shutting the door behind him.

  “I’m sorry that I didn’t call or text you first. I hope this isn’t a bad time or something.”

  Baffled as to why he was alone, I shook my head. “No…it’s not a bad time at all.”

  It really wasn’t, except that after having had a late dinner by myself, I’d just finished getting ready for bed, including putting on a pair of comfortable but fairly unattractive plain navy blue sweats and pulling my hair up into a very sloppy and probably equally unattractive bun on the top of my head. I didn’t have any makeup on either, and I usually at least liked to have on a little bit when I was around other people. However, I supposed the state I was in was still better than the one I’d been in the last time I’d seen Alex, when I’d been unsteady on my feet, drunkenly accusing him of playing some sick joke on me.

  I wanted to apologize for that but found I just couldn’t get the words out for whatever reason. Instead, Alex and I just looked at each other for a long moment. His dark gray eyes seemed to be drawing me into them, as if they possessed some wondrous supernatural power all their own, which I was pretty sure wasn't the case. It was just that with light gray flecks within the dark gray, and long, dark lashes that curled just slightly, his eyes were just so perfectly beautiful that I couldn’t seem to look away from them. Not even to rake my gaze over the length of his long, lean body, which I wanted to do as well.

  However, after another long moment, I felt a little heat rising to my cheeks and managed to glance away briefly, toward the living room, asking Alex if he wanted to sit down or something. His response shocked me.

  “No…maybe we can sit down and talk later. But I want to do something else right now first.”

  “Well, what is it?”

  In response to this question, he pulled me into his arms, shocking me once again. I asked him what he was doing, and he began lowering his mouth to mine.

  “I’m doing what I’ve wanted to do since the first moment I set eyes on you.”

  The moment I felt his full lips brush against mine, I seemed to simply melt in his arms, sighing with pleasure. Making a few soft sounds of pleasure himself, he kissed me gently, tenderly at first, seeming to savor the taste of my lips. However, it wasn't long before he intensified the kiss, or maybe I did. I wasn’t really even sure, and I didn’t care. All I knew was that what was happening between Alex and me felt so right, and I didn’t want it to end. I only wanted it to continue and progress further, hopefully all the way into my bedroom with any luck.

  Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pressed my body into the long length of his, reveling in the feel of his chiseled muscles, which felt something like a brick wall against me. His muscles weren’t the only hardness I was currently feeling, though. After only just a minute or two of kissing me, he was already rock-hard, somewhat astonishingly. He pressed this area even tighter against the soft curve of my stomach, moving his hands from the small of my back to my rear end at the same time.

  I wanted him so badly. I wasn’t sure why he hadn’t come to my apartment with Mason as well, but that wasn’t even remotely important to me at present. The only thing I wanted was for Alex to pick me up in his strong arms and take me into my bedroom, then make love to me with the same kind of passion he was showing me with his kissing.

  After just a little while longer, I broke our passionate kiss, deciding to just come right out and tell him what I wanted. “Will you just take me into my bedroom now, Alex? Please?”

  With a low, masculine growl, he began kneading my rear end, squeezing each rounded cheek with just enough pressure to feel good but not hurt, or at least not hurt in a way that I didn’t like. When he spoke, it was in a voice thick with huskiness, displaying his clear arousal.

  “Take you to your bedroom, you say. Hmm. That’s interesting. And I even got a ‘please’ with the request. I have to admit, you sure have changed from the hostile, paranoid woman I encountered just a few nights ago.”

  I cringed inwardly, recalling just how embarrassingly intoxicated I’d become. “Now that you’ve reminded me of that…I’m really sorry that I became a bit hostile toward you. I really wasn’t acting like myself that night.”

  Alex shrugged, still continuing to knead my rear end with his large, strong hands. “Hey. I’m a grown man, and I can handle a little anger and hostility. It’s your outright sassy attitude that I still feel inclined to punish you for.”

  Immediately, my breath seemed to hitch in my throat.

  “What do you mean by ‘punish’ me? How do you want to do that?”

  I couldn't imagine, but for some reason, I kind of wanted to find out.

  Not a second after I’d asked him how he wanted to ‘punish’ me, Alex lifted a hand from my rear, then returned it right away in the form of a swift, sharp swat. “Just like that. That’s how I wanted to ‘punish’ you.”

  Though the action had been more than enough to surprise me and even make me gasp, it hadn’t exactly hurt, similar to his hard squeezing of my rear cheeks. Or, at least, same as with his squeezing, it hadn’t hurt me in a way that I didn’t like.

  A little breathless, and with a rush of heat rising to my face, I looked up at Alex’s face. “Well, that was all fine and good, but I’m pretty sure I was sassy to you more than once.”

  Not needing any further encouragement, Alex immediately delivered another stinging swat to my right cheek, immediately followed by another. He then delivered two to my left cheek with his hand hard enough to make me bury my face in his chest, wincing with each swat.

  Once I realized that he was finished “punishing” me, I lifted my face from his chest, realizing that I wasn’t now just aroused but desperately aroused. “Please just take me to my bedroom, and then just rip my clothes off. Then, I don’t want you to be gentle or slow with me. I want you to be hard, and fast, and rough. That’s what I need you to be.” With another rush of warmth rising to my face, I swallowed, realizing that I’d never before in my life been so bold when it came to spelling out just exactly what I wanted in the bedroom. “Please, Alex.”

  He had already begun scooping me up in his strong arms even before I’d finished the word please.

  When we got to my bedroom, he flicked on a lamp, and then our clothes started almost literally flying. Within probably half a minute, we were both completely naked; however, Alex didn’t even give me time to appreciate his nude form. As if I were light as a feather, he tossed me on my bed, making me land on my stomach. He then immediately pulled me up on all fours a little roughly, spread my legs, and mounted me with a growl.

  The slide of his cock into my slick pussy was a sensation of such intense pleasure that the guttural moan I made didn’t even sound human to my own ears. Once he’d filled me completely with every last millimeter of his considerable, rock-hard length, he immediately began thrusting into my depths, making me moan once again. Soon, he paused, but just briefly, just to tilt my shoulders downward a little, which raised my rear higher in the air and allowed him to penetrate me deeply with every rapturous stroke.

  Just like I’d asked him to be, he was hard, fast, and rough, and within just a minute or two, I was already heading toward orgasm. And from what I w
as feeling, I could tell it was likely going to be the mind-blowing kind of orgasm that I’d always dreamed about having. However, within moments of me having this thought, Alex paused in his powerful, rough thrusting to speak in a low, husky voice near my ear.

  “Touch yourself, Kira. Please. Stroke yourself. I want to feel you doing it.”

  More than happy to comply with his command, I moved a hand between my legs and began slowly stroking my clit, which was covered in slickness. Expressing appreciation for what I was doing with a groan, Alex began thrusting again, now even a bit more forcefully than before. Forcefully enough to begin shaking my bed, at any rate.

  With all the pleasure that I was experiencing at once, I didn’t even last ten seconds. With a loud cry, I buried my face in a stack of pillows in front of me, continuing to stroke my clit with a fingertip while Alex continued filling me with his rock-hard cock. Pinpricks of bright light exploded behind my closed eyelids, making me see something that resembled fireworks. Rhythmically, every muscle in my body seemed to contract and release repeatedly, with each contraction even more powerful than the last.

  At the tail end of my glorious, lengthy orgasm, Alex found his own, driving his thick cock deep inside of me fast and hard with a prolonged, guttural groan loud enough to nearly hurt my ears. I felt him release his hot, sticky load inside of me, which was an intensely pleasurable sensation that added a few more waves of pleasure to what had already been the most intense climax of my life, by far. By so far that I wasn’t even sure if climaxes I’d experienced before had really, truly even been climaxes. At any rate, whether they had been or not, they hadn’t been one hundredth as powerful or as pleasurable as what I’d just experienced with Alex.