Ash: Love Me Harder - Alien Paranormal Romance (16 page)

Brook gave a sigh of relief as she exited the hover that was presently parked in their garage. Jaz got out with a laugh. “I still can’t believe you dismissed them with a wave of your hand.”

“They were cutting into my make out session, what did you expect me to do?” Brook grumbled low before heading for the door after Ash.

“I don’t know; you always surprise me.”

They walked into the house to find it pretty much the same way they left it.

“Looks like you took good care of the place while we were gone, Jaz.”

“I swear this place self-cleans, but I can never catch it doing it.”

“That’s what I said too.” Brooks voice went high with excitement. “But when I say that to Ash he just gives me that innocent look. The one on his face right now.”

He grinned at her going from innocent to devilish in a heartbeat. “I don’t know what you girls are talking about.”

He took the bag of groceries they picked up on the way home and started taking them out.

“Can I help?” Jaz asked watching him.

“I’ve got it.” Her face fell and she turned away.

“Actually,” Ash called out. “Why don’t you and Brook put everything up while I go into the other room. I could use a shower.”

Jaz smiled at him eager to help. Brook rolled her eyes knowing exactly what he was doing.

Ash smiled at both of them as he made his way out the kitchen and up the stairs. Going into his front room he took a seat on the couch closed his eyes and opened his mental pathway.

“Aran,” he never tired of hearing his siblings say their name as a greeting.

“Ash,” he replied in kind.

“How is my sister?”

“She’s alive and well. I wasn’t sure at first but she pulled through.”

“I never doubted her or your ability to reach her.”

“How is the family?”

“They are fine. Your daughter and my son are keeping us all on our toes, but the worse are the unmated nephews. Really, couldn’t you have had daughters for them too?”

Ash laughed feeling his body loosen. “Do you have any idea how hard it was to raise one daughter? I shudder at the thought of more. Seriously how do humans do it?”

“I often wonder, but you didn’t call me to talk about children or the antics of the boys.”

“Don’t let them hear you call them boys.”

“Like I care.” Ash knew he was rolling his eyes just like Rena taught him to do.

“I don’t think we’re out of trouble down here.”

“Explain.”

“There’s something going on with Brook’s friend, Jazlyn. I have a good idea what it is but I won’t jump to conclusions so I am waiting for her to tell us.”

“What if she refuses?”

“She might try, but Brook won’t have any of it. No she’ll spill, the question is what do I do next.”

“Bring her to us.”

“I will but only as a last resort. I don’t want to make her wanted on Earth as a fugitive.”

“What’s your plans?”

“We start fighting the laws, unfortunately it won’t be easy.”

“Let me know if you need us.”

“I will. Give everyone a hug for me.”

“I take it you meant give the sisters a hug for you but in reality you meant tell them hi and give Rena a hug for you.”

Ash gave a loud laugh as he felt Brook settle beside him on the couch. “The brothers are getting grouchy as they age.”

“Definitely, and we are nowhere close to the age Dante was when he landed on Earth.” The image of Aran shaking his head ruefully invaded Ash’s mind before he cut the link with a final goodbye.

“Hey, are you back with me now?” Brook rubbed his arm feeling the soft skin covering his thick muscles.

“Never left you, just talking to Aran.”

“Is everything ok?”

“Everything is fine. Where’s Jaz?”

“She was tired and wanted to rest.”

“Excellent idea.” He stood and picked her up. Holding her close to his chest, he carried her through the door to the bedroom.

Carefully he laid her down on the bed. She wore a new outfit, one he asked Jaz to pick up for her virtually. She was dressed in a pink shirt that clung to the chest and flowed free underneath in braided material giving him a peek-a-boo look at her abs. A pair of cute jeans with a picture of something he wasn’t familiar with completed the ensemble.

He reached out and carefully pulled off her top and bra. She laid there and looked at him with her wide brown eyes. Her dark brown nipples hardened and her wide aureoles made his mouth water for a taste. Unable to stop, he bent over and licked them. The sound of satisfaction on her lips made his cock hard. He sucked the nipple in, loving how the breath caught in her throat.

Sucking hard on the one nipple, he flicked the other with his thumb and forefinger. Her eyes dilated, letting him know she was enjoying this small torture. With one last lick, he let her nipple slip out of his mouth. He took his tongue and left a trail from the underside of her breast to her belly button as he licked his way down.

The softness of her belly intrigued him. He loved how she felt when he laid on her and pushed into her. A growl of need came from him before he licked the inside of the little button begging for his attention. Stiffening his tongue, he stuck it in her button. She squealed and jerked her hips like she was on fire. He did it again just to hear the sounds she was making.

Sliding his hands down the sides of her waist, he reached her jeans. With sure fingers, he unsnapped them before lowering the zipper. She pressed her feet into the bed and raised her hips allowing him to slide the jeans down. He lifted one leg at a time, caressing her foot before sliding the pant leg off.

With a smile, he leaned over, took the band of her panties in his mouth, and snapped it. Her body went wild flooding her pussy with heat. He snapped the other side before using his teeth to pull them off her.

“My panties,” she whispered trying to sound appalled while choking back her laughter.

“I’ll buy you a drawer full of them.”

“You want to bite them all off?”

“Mmm.”

“My, what big teeth you have,” she whispered to him.

“And an even longer tongue.” He licked her wet heat at the seam of her pussy making her lose her mind.

His tongue delved in deep as he swallowed her down. “You taste like my favorite spice. I find that I crave you.”

He used that tongue to delve deeply in her channel making her chant his name as she asked for completion.

“Not without me.”

He rose up above her looking like a myth rising from the water. Her breath caught in her throat.

He leaned over and kissed her. She could taste herself on his lips, hot and spicy.

“Nice and easy, Baby.”

The head of his thick cock butted against her, rubbing up and down making her writhe with desire. Slowly he sunk it in going past the tight rings that guarded her, giving them incredible pleasure as he pushed past making her nip his shoulder in joy.

“Ash, Ash.” She held on to him tightly, closing around him as if afraid he might change his mind.

She was so tight his entire body stiffened as he felt her closing around him. He would never get enough of her. Need, hot and hard swamped him. This is how it always was with her. His mind told him to be gentle, let her enjoy it, but his body demanded. It wanted to be closer to her, be one with her, to take her to the very edge of her endurance before taking her back there again.

He clung on to his sanity, barely as he gave her measured thrusts meant to make her feel good without driving her insane.

Her breathlessness was almost his undoing, still he held on. Nice and easy he chanted to himself as he loved his mate. Her needs, her desires were more important than the overwhelming need to slam into her. She needed to know he loved her, would die without her.

“I couldn’t live without you, Brook.” His confession came out hoarse, as he pulled out of her. She tightened around him fighting the pull, making it burn so much more.

“I searched for you in the darkness, Ash. Then you came.”

He painstakingly drilled into her. Measured thrusts and pulls taking her higher. Nothing could feel this good.

“Ash, please.” Her voice was raw from the sounds escaping her.

“Please what, Baby?”

“You’re playing with me. I need more.”

“Want to make it good for you. Nice and easy.”

She wrapped her legs around him resting her heels in the small of his back. She gave him just a little kick back there, making giddy up noises.

“I need fast, hard, rugged. I need you, Ash. Please.”

The please was his downfall. Maybe in another hundred years they could do nice and easy, right now he needed her. His hips pushed up only to swing downward with a swift movement.

“Yes…” was torn from her as he impaled her. Her body shook with the movement and she tightened herself around him.

“Again, Ash again,” she called out.

He held out as her body trembled in his arms. Her voice came out in a scream loud enough to be heard downtown as she came apart in his arms. Still he plunged himself deeply keeping her as high as possible until finally her shudders began to decrease.

She opened her eyes and looked at him with wonder that made him feel like the most amazing male in the galaxy. He buried his head in her neck and began moving harder as his actions became uncoordinated and shaky. That wonderful feeling tightened his sack before hitting him in the base of his back.

It felt like fire racing through his body before he started to convulse, burying deep and emptying himself into her. A hoarse scream left him leaving his throat raw and his body empty as he collapsed against her.

There was nothing like the feel of Brook around him. “I love you, Brook. You’re my heart.”

He rolled them over.

“Ash.” She allowed her nails to score his chest without breaking the skin. “There is only you. There will only be you.”

He closed his eyes as his arms tightened around her. Peace, the kind he never thought to know, stole over for him. It was the eye of the storm and he was willing to accept peace where he found it.

“A party? What kind of party?” Jaz asked looking suspicious.

“Not the kind of party you went to recently. It would be the three of us and Dante and his brothers.”

“I can’t go. Brook, I’m not allowed around men like that.”

“First, Jaz who’s going to tell them because it sure in hell won’t be me. Second, what can they do to you that will be worse than they’re already planning to do to you?”

Brook stopped to listen. She had been slowly breaking down Jazlyn’s walls all day to get to the truth. She wasn’t even close yet.

“Nothing, they are already planning the ultimate.”

“That’s what I thought, so you’re going. No more arguments.”

Jaz gave her a sad smile. “I never win with you. What should I wear?”

“Something simple. I’m wearing a swimsuit with a pair of shorts and a tee over it.”

“Ok I’ll wear the same.”

They dressed quickly and entered the hover.

“Where’s the party going to be?”

“We’re going to Dante’s place. You’re going to love it; he lives higher than anyone else and his house is beautiful.”

Jaz nodded as Ash ascended through the different levels of traffic. They got stuck on one level for ten minutes.

“That was rough, or at least that’s what they say. This was my first time being stuck in traffic.”

“Jaz, you have to get out more. On old Earth there were times I was stuck in traffic for hours.”

“You’re lying!”

“Nope. It was horrible. Once the city decided to have some parade without my permission. We were stuck for two hours; the limo was unable to move. Ten minutes in traffic is a breeze.”

Jaz laughed. “I love hearing stories about your life.”

“You know I never thought this would be true, but I love telling them. Look up, Jaz.”

The gasp that came out of her mouth made Brook smile. The scenery was just as breathtaking as it had been the first time.

In front of her in the distance was a house stretched out like a mansion. In the back of it was the most majestic waterfall she ever saw. The water poured down from a high mountain top and the sun sat right above the mountain bathing it all in a golden glow.

“I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as this. Are Dante and his brothers magic?”

“I don’t know, but I wondered that too.”

Ash parked the hover in front of the house.

“Come on, Jaz. Wait until you see what they use for a pool.”

Brook pulled her through the house following Ash until they made their way into the back yard.

Jaz gasped again and Brook beamed as if she designed it.

“Jaz, you already know Dante. These are his brothers. No one say anything, I want to see if I can get the right names with faces. Almost like a game of concentration.”

Brook took a deep breath and looked around at each face before repeating names in her head.

“This is Julian.” Brook went up and gave the male with the black hair and green eyes a hug.

She quickly moved to a male with blonde hair and blue eyes. “This is Lucca.”

“Damon,” she hugged the male with red hair and black streaks through it.

“Then last but not least is Raphael.” She gave him a huge hug. Raphael is the youngest, and Mick, he’s the second born, isn’t here.”

“He’s running a mission. He will be here later,” Dante said, motioning them to take a seat.

“Tell us a little about yourself, Jaz.” Julian gave her a beautiful smile.

“There’s not much to tell. I help to run the Cryo unit at A’rouk facility where we help to regenerate them.”

“What do you like about it?” Lucca asked.

“I love everything. I met my best friend there.” She threw Brook a smile. “But the work is challenging. You have to know what you’re doing and keep up on the latest technology. It keeps me always learning, but there’s nothing like talking to the Cryo’s when they come out. Telling them that they really do have a second chance for life. Their enthusiasm to see, learn, and do is contagious. I love knowing that there are people out in the world enjoying a beautiful life because of what I was able to do for them.”

“I understand the feeling of watching someone live because of your abilities.” Damon gave her a look of understanding.

“Last one in the water!” Lucca stood up and jumped in splashing those closest to him.

Brook stood up taking off her outer layer of clothes. “Come one, Jaz, get in.” Ash followed her into the water. They ducked under and swam over to the waterfall.

Jaz slowly took off her tee and shorts and went to sit on the side watching the fun. Dante came and sat next to her.

“Can’t swim.”

She shook her head no although she noticed he didn’t ask a question.

“There was never any place to learn. People like me aren’t allowed in public swimming pools.”

“People like you.” Dante repeated.

“Do you know what I am?”

He nodded his head slowly.

“I’m glad, then maybe you can help Brook understand. She thinks this can be fixed or changed but it’s been law for a hundred years, nothing that old changes that fast.”

Dante handed her more hard candy.

“You know I probably shouldn’t eat this, but it does seem to make me happy. If I didn’t know better, I would say it was giving me hope where there isn’t any.” She popped a piece in her mouth and looked around for food.

Dante stood and helped her up. “We have the best spread you’ve ever seen. Ash, Brook, come eat while you have the chance,” he called out to them.

“What would you like, Jaz? It’s all classic picnic food.”

“It smells so good I want a little of everything. Can I have a hot dog and a hamburger? Is that real potato salad made with real potatoes?”

“Nothing synthetic here. My brothers and I don’t process synthetic food well.”

“I hate the stuff and the steak and potatoes are the worst.”

“One day you will have to come to the restaurant for dinner. I will make you steak and potatoes. You will love them.”

“I would love that.” The longing in her voice was real. “Hope I can do it before my deadline is up.”

Dante looked at her, his eyes expanding for a minute before he smiled at her. “Jaz, deadlines are meant to be broken. Rules are meant to be smashed. In fact, I’m about to smash one that is thousands of years old. Let’s hope we live to enjoy the fall out.”

He handed her a plate and walked away when Brook and Ash walked over.

“Sorry I left you. Guess I was just excited about swimming again. I can teach you,” Brook said, fixing a plate for herself. Ash was reaching over and taking bites of her food as she swatted his hands away.

“Maybe later, after the two weeks is up I’ll learn to swim.” A tiny kernel of hope unfolded in her heart one she killed ruthlessly.

“It’s a date. Did you enjoy talking to Dante?”

“He talks in riddles. I know what he said but I can’t interpret what it means.”

“I feel you on that one. He always leaves me wondering exactly who he is. I would tell you to ask Ash, but he doesn’t seem to really know either.”

Ash sat down with them, his plate filled to overflowing.

“You hungry?” Brook threw him a smile.

“Yeah, someone kept me busy last night.”

Brooks cheeks heated and she threw Jaz a look. Jaz was staring at her food with red cheeks trying not to laugh.

Ash leaned over and kissed the tip of Brook’s nose.

“You two are so cute together.” Jaz’s mouth smiled, but her eyes were sad.

“I’m sure there is someone…” Brook trialed off.

“Mick.” Julian hollered over to him with a wave.

“I’m back. Having a picnic without me or as a reward for my successful mission?”

“It’s to kick the next phase off with a party.”

“The next phase of what?” Mick turned to look at Dante.

“You’ll see.”

“I hate when you do that to us,” Mick grumbled. I am going to take a shower and change my clothes.”

“Who was that?” Jaz asked, her eyes staring at the door he went through.

“That’s Mick, the brother I told you was missing.”

“Oh, I was just wondering since I hadn’t met him.”

“Did you think he was handsome?”

“Of course not, Brook. You know I don’t look at men like that. Besides, I’m not pretty.”

Brook choked on her hamburger. Ash patted her back, making sure she would be all right.

“Jaz, you’re smoking hot. Never say that again.”

“Then how about this? It’s a death wish to look at me with either appreciation or lust. I’m an object like a chair or a couch, necessary and I’m to be treated that way.”

“Just so we’re clear on this, I have looked at both chairs and couches with lust filled eyes. If you think I’m lying, walk around in heels for a couple of hours.”

Jaz gave her a smile but kept her eyes on the door waiting to see the man with the long brown hair and sky blue eyes walk out again.

She watched Brook watching her and tried to play it calm, but still her breath caught in her throat when he walked out. He walked over to one of his brothers. Black hair? Julian, that was his name, and started a conversation.

He stopped to sniff the air. Shaking his head, he began talking before stopping a second time. He turned, looking around sniffing like he smelled something good. The food was good she thought, setting her plate down so she was unhampered as she watched him.

Finally, he turned in her direction. His blue eyes catching and holding her green ones. He took a deep breath of the air and his nostrils flared. With shaky movements like he was a puppet being controlled by strings, he moved towards her. His eyes seemed to grow even bigger until the blue took over, eradicating the white of his eyes.

Jaz swallowed hard wanting to run to him and away from him.

“Mine,” he screamed and ran at her.

Dante issued a command she couldn’t hear because the thunder of his voice was still ricocheting off the walls of her skull.

Julian and Lucca were on either side of Mick holding him back.

“Cage him.”

They nodded and pulled him through the door Jaz had been staring at initially.

Her heart broke when they pulled him through. It took both of them to subdue him as he hollered for her.

“You just saw the part where it was unfair to my brother to suffer like this. They will now take him to a cage where he will be chained to the wall like a prisoner. Now comes the part where it’s unfair to you. Explain to Brook exactly what’s happening.”

Jaz stood up; she wanted to be able to move if Brook looked at her with disgust.

“About two hundred years ago when the Earth was bad and the human species wasn’t projected to make it, someone decided they should make clones of themselves, that way if anything happened, they could just boot up a copy of that person. It took us roughly a hundred years to figure out the alien tech to make that happen.

“Once done, they decided it was too expensive to give to the general public. The cynic in me believes they would have never given it to those who couldn’t afford it. Now rich people have clones made of themselves when they are in their prime.

“The good thing about clones is we don’t age. Other than that, everything on us is in perfect working order. So when a person gets to a certain age, if he wants, he or she can have their memories transported into the clone’s heads. They did that for a while but not very successfully and now with the stigma we carry as not real people, that doesn’t happen much.

“Instead we are culled for our parts. Soon they will collect me put me to sleep, and harvest my body.”

“Over my dead body!” Brook stood shouting.

“There’s nothing you can do.”

“Yes we can. Each person here made an oath to protect you. They won’t let this happen.”

Dante walked up. “Now the even harder part, Jaz. You have to decide whether you want to be saved, and you don’t have much time to make the decision. Ash, it’s time for all of you to leave.”

“Why do we have to leave?” Brook asked looking at Dante.

“This decision will effect more than Mick and Jazlyn.”

Brook nodded her head not understanding but still feeling the weight of change sitting heavy on her shoulders.

They walked out leaving each brother except Dante looking shell-shocked.

The ride back to Ash’s was in complete silence. Jaz went to her room. Ash stopped Brook from going after her. They walked into the game room and sat down.

“What happens now?” Brook asked.

“I don’t know.” Ash pulled her onto his lap. “But I know this. Whatever happens is up to Jaz; she was just given the chance to be in control of her life for the first time. Now we wait to see if she’s strong enough to grasp the opportunity.”

“What happens to us?”