Club Zombie: Zombies Suck Part 3

"Hey, you-" Uli pretended to read the bartender's nametag. "-Carl, is it?" He swung an arm over Alex's shoulders, hoping to send a clear message of mine. Slowly, with a touch of condescension, he said, "We'd like waters."

When Uli arrived in America, he didn't know the drinking age was different than in Germany. Instead of telling Uli that, Carl reported him to Lafayette for ordering a beer. His dislike had nothing to do with the way the guy dogged Alex's every move. Okay, maybe it was the main reason.

"Hey, Alex, aren't you turning twenty-one soon?" Carl reached across the bar to cop a feel.

Twenty-one? Uli had thought Alex was his age or even younger. Twenty-one?

Alex must need male essence. How did he acquire it? Did he get it the usual way? Uli ignored the hurt that exploded in his heart at the thought of Alex taking someone else between his beautiful lips. Oddly, his urgent desire to provide Alex with essence had more to do with giving him what he needed and much less about s.e.x.

"Um, yeah." Alex stepped back before Carl could grope him, but another patron b.u.mped Alex and knocked him into range. Seizing the advantage, Carl pulled him close and secured Alex by the neck with one hand as the other hand roamed his body. He leaned in as if to kiss Alex.

h.e.l.l no! Before he could, Uli captured the roving paw and grabbed Carl by the hair. "I will break you."

Carl's eyes widened. "Ow! Hey, man. Sorry, I just thought we could..."

"You thought wrong." Uli bit out his words so they were clear.

Alex moved farther away from Carl and pulled Uli behind him.

A random zombie shouted, "It's birthday spanking time!"

"Johnny, it's your birthday. Who do you want to spank?"

"Yeah, Johnny. You get to pick three of us!" someone yelled, raising his hand as if waiting to be called upon in cla.s.s.

The birthday boy grinned and perused the room as if the decision was difficult. His gaze landed on Alex and Uli. He rubbed his hands together and opened his mouth.

"Don't even think about it, Johnny." Alex grabbed Uli's hand. Through clenched teeth, he said, "You are returning with me to our apartment."

What? Really? Dominant Alex was smoking hot. Excitement crawled through him, leaving him breathless. When Alex stalked away with Uli's wrist encircled in a forceful grip, Uli didn't think to fight. They were halfway to their apartment by the time the guilt caught up to him.

Cutter. Uli was the worst mate ever. Though he and Cutter hadn't yet bonded, his sight had never been wrong. What the h.e.l.l was wrong with him?

Once inside the tiny apartment, Alex slammed and locked the door. He paced for a few moments, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with excess energy. Then he paused to stare at Uli.

"Do you think Johnny would actually have spanked you?"

Uli stared. Not exactly the question he'd been expecting. "Um, well, I heard that's what they do at birthday parties." Ca.s.sidy was all too free with the exciting details.

Wiping his hands on his jeans, Uli sought something else to hold his attention to lessen the impact of Alex's intensity. "Isn't that what happened at your parties since you started your transition?"

Alex grabbed two bottles of water. "I have refused all attempts at parties." He partially opened one and handed it to Uli.

Aw. These small things-Alex's thoughtfulness-stirred emotions Uli shouldn't feel toward anyone but Cutter. "Until tonight. Why did you come with me?"

Alex took a long sip before slowly recapping his water. "I didn't want you to go alone."

"Ca.s.sidy said he'd be there."

Alex shook his head but didn't say anything. He stomped to the kitchen.

"Do you think Johnny would have spanked us?" Uli hoped he kept the excitement out of his voice.

After slamming down his water on the counter, Alex opened the fridge to retrieve packages of turkey, sliced cheese, and the bottle of salsa. "I'm glad no one tried to lay a finger on you." He shoved the door closed harder than necessary and rolled two pieces of turkey around the cheese and a spoonful of salsa. "Here."

"Thanks." Uli accepted the food and took a bite. "Mm-mm. It's good." Uli didn't know how to act. He couldn't quite pull off normal with Alex acting oddly. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

Alex inhaled and exhaled as if trying to keep it together. "Sure." With a small smile, he took a napkin and beckoned Uli closer. "Come here."

Uli leaned forward. The desire to kiss Alex rushed through him. Then Alex wet his lips.

Oh G.o.d. The world slowed and turned silent in antic.i.p.ation of that kiss. Instead of soft lips, a napkin dabbed salsa from the corner of Uli's mouth.

f.u.c.k me. Uli stepped back. "Thanks."

Alex tried to adjust the erection fighting his perfectly tailored pants.

Why did he fight his body? If Uli didn't slake this l.u.s.t before the movie, he'd embarra.s.s them both. "Um I need a shower first."

Without waiting for Alex to respond, he hurried into the bathroom and started the shower. As soon as the spray was hot enough, he stripped and stepped in. Uli's d.i.c.k begged for attention, and with the help of shower gel, he pumped himself to a barely satisfactory o.r.g.a.s.m. He couldn't help comparing the feeling to the one he'd had when Alex's soft pink lips were on his. That thought was almost enough to give him more wood. He counted backwards from one hundred in English and finished his shower.

He found Alex lounging on his bed in a TARDIS T-s.h.i.+rt and sweat pants with a blanket draped over his middle. "I got your computer cued up."

When Uli lay down, the bed s.h.i.+fted. Alex closed his eyes and bit his lip, but Uli didn't miss the soft moan Alex tried to hold back. Then his eyes opened, and he stared at Uli.

Gone was the alpha male from the party. In his place was the best friend who appeared afraid to m.a.s.t.u.r.b.a.t.e. Uli decided then and there that tomorrow he would help Alex address his problem one way or another.

Chapter Three.

"I can't even trust you to punish yourself anymore." His mother screamed as she beat him with a switch.

"No!" Alex blocked the rope from his tender backside. He'd had enough. Somehow he was back in his old house. Even if he didn't recognize the furniture, he'd never forget the smell of the ever-present alcohol.

His furious mother beat him harder, but he didn't stop protecting himself. "Put down your hands. How dare you defend yourself? You will accept my punishment as G.o.d's will!"

"No." He wouldn't. Not anymore.

Her voice dripped with evil intention. "Maybe I can beat you into a man." She froze with her hand in mid-air. "Who's that?"

Alex glanced to where she stared. Ulrich stood in the shadows, a worry crease furrowing his brow. Alex faintly heard lyrics to Tokio Hotel's "Scream" in the distance.

"Is he like you?" Disgust dripped from her words. She stalked toward Uli.

Though Alex had allowed her to punish him, she couldn't touch Uli. He wouldn't let her.

"No!" He locked her wrist in a death grip and held it still. He stared into her angry face until the rope hit the floor with a solid thunk.

"No more." He kicked the hated rope out of her reach and put his body in front of Ulrich's. He'd let her do enough damage.

"Who is he?" she shrieked as if her evaporating form bothered her.

"He's mine."

"Then who are they?" His mother sneered as she gestured to Cutter huddled in the corner. Storm crouched protectively over him. Storm seemed to be trying to help Cutter, but he needed a.s.sistance. He required Alex's help.

She disappeared before he could answer. The hand Alex held became Uli's. Their fingers entwined and their palms rubbed together.

"Alex. Thank you for saving me." Ulrich lowered his voice. "Let me show you how grateful I am."

The scene changed. Uli lay tied spread-eagled on Alex's bed in Club Zombie. Cutter and Storm secured ropes onto Uli's hands. "Take me, Alex. I'm yours. You know I'm yours."

In unison Storm and Cutter echoed Ulrich's wishes. "Yes. Take him, Alex. Then take us. You know we're yours."

Yes, they were his. Alex crawled onto the bed and pressed close. Ulrich's body heat warmed Alex, and Cutter's hands caressed his sides. The movement was like throwing a lit match on dry wood. He went up in flames. His body wouldn't stop its slow sensual slide against the man beneath him.

"You like me tied up?" The pupils of Uli's eyes expanded and almost covered his bright blue.

"Yes, I like controlling you. I want to bring you pleasure." The words surprised Alex, but it wasn't the first time he was aware of his desire for control. He captured Uli's lips in a fiery kiss as he moved Uli's hips, rutting them against his own.

A sharp cry jolted Alex from his dream. Warm wetness drenched his thigh through his sweat pants. A real hand wrapped over his erection and ma.s.saged him. The tight warmth felt better than anything Alex had ever known.

"You come too." Uli slid his fist over Alex's shaft.

Terror ripped through Alex. "What?"

Then he realized he was reclined in Ulrich's bed. The nearly naked man was trying to coax an o.r.g.a.s.m from him. Alex couldn't let his seed spill.

"No." He jerked away. Alex had to stop this.

Ulrich's face fell. Glancing down, Alex understood the puddle cooling on his thigh belonged to Uli. He felt sickened. How could his best friend betray him like this?

"Oh." An expression of hurt marred Ulrich's face. "I'm sorry. Really, I thought you were awake... I would never have... Oh G.o.d. I'm sorry."

Uli scrambled out of bed so fast he tripped on the tangled bed sheets and landed on all fours on the floor.

The sight of his apartment-mate's b.u.t.t in the air did nothing to calm Alex's panic. Uli had touched him and would have kept touching him. He breathed slowly. His dream was still affecting him because he needed to try to control his desire to knead those mounds.

"Why did you think I was awake?" He'd never been so angry with Uli before.

"You said you wanted to control me and you wanted to give me pleasure." He shook his head and his eyes misted. "I didn't know you weren't awake. You grabbed my hips and moved me against you. I swear I would have never..."

Gosh. In that moment Ulrich appeared so young, not just chronilogically but emotionally.

Uli wrestled with the sweats twisted under his b.u.t.t. The tip of his spent c.o.c.k still leaked against his stomach. Noticing Alex's stare, Uli struggled to cover himself. "I'm sorry."

Maybe Alex should hand Uli a pillow or blanket to preserve what remained of his modesty, but his hands wouldn't cooperate.

Once his clothing was righted, Uli said, "I didn't mean to... You kissed me and were moving against me... I thought..." When his words failed, a bright red blush replaced them.

"I must have been dreaming," Alex choked out. He focused on his breathing and as he calmed he realized Ulrich would never have violated Alex's trust in that way. What was more confusing to Alex was his desire to turn Uli over and reclaim access to his sweet a.s.s. He needed some s.p.a.ce. "I should shower."

"But..." Uli gestured at Alex's crotch. "I really could..."

Alex's expression stopped his friend's words. He hated being confused. Need warred with Alex's desire to be pure. How could he even consider accepting the offer? He shuffled to the bathroom.

His whole body ached. He wished the dream had finished. That didn't happen often and they embarra.s.sed him, but at least his body relaxed for a couple of days.

He shut the bathroom door and inhaled as he turned the water to freezing. The cold shower should help him rid himself of his want. Unable to resist temptation, as he stripped, he brought the stained sweats to his nose to breathe in Uli's essence. The scent did nothing to abate his arousal. It smelled exactly like the man. Delicious.

Alex threw the soiled clothes into the hamper before he could give into temptation and lick the wetness. Then he stepped under the icy blast and let it wash away the bitter regret that he didn't permit Uli to finish him.

He didn't know how, but he wanted to bring the dream to fruition. Alex wanted to reject everything his mother had forced on him and accept everything his mates could bring him. Mates?

At breakfast, the tension between them had risen. It was getting harder to resist Ulrich. Though successful this morning, Alex kept envisioning the man helplessly secured to his bed, waiting for Alex to control his world, and his other two mates willing partic.i.p.ates in the quartet. Alex felt with a bone-deep certainty the four of them-Ulrich, Storm, Cutter, and himself-belonged together.

Deeply buried yearnings surged to the surface of Alex's conscious mind. He pushed them aside as he'd done so often in the past, but the ideas wouldn't fade into the background. Even before Alex figured out he found men attractive, he wanted to control someone past their limits to pleasure they never dreamed possible. Now his desire was very specific. He wanted to create that kind of satisfaction for Storm, Uli, and Cutter.

"Did you hear me?" Uli's question snapped Alex out of the inner chaos waging war in his head.

"What?"

"I want you to come with me to the Extraction room."

Alex frowned while his c.o.c.k lengthened. "Why?"

"Because Phil and Mark need practice to get their ma.s.sage license." Shrugging, Uli drank his orange juice splashed with cranberry juice.

Heat flooded Alex. He couldn't get a ma.s.sage, could he? Yes, he could. It would be the start of him actively rejecting all of his mother's abusive ideas. He'd been tormented enough. Time to live his life.

He glanced away from Uli's excited stare. "I have to stop at the doctor's first."

Uli opened his mouth but didn't speak.

"Why don't I meet you there?" Alex didn't want to be rude.

"You're going to get essence there, aren't you?"

"Um, yeah, so I'll catch up with you at the Extraction room."

"Nah, I'll come with you." Those careless words sent a s.h.i.+ver through Alex even before Uli shoved his hands into his pockets, pus.h.i.+ng the low-rise black jeans down enough to expose creamy skin.