Chapter 15
Alanna
Her uncle’s people worked fast.
When Alanna woke up the next morning, before she even got to enjoy her first cup of coffee since returning to Earth – it was much stronger than she remembered – his professional shopper was there with a bag of clothing for her and more for the others.
Someone would be by to style her hair later and the hotel manager extended her offer to get anything she needed once again.
They were going to talk to the UN general assembly at noon. Plenty of time to get ready and to go over her speech. Because, naturally, she would be the one talking. Survii would be given a chance to talk as well, but she only had to translate what he said.
After some debate, Alanna decided to wear the human clothes she had been brought but accessorize it with her domini jewelry.
The black skirt, black pumps, and white blouse were inoffensive and proper, but accenting them with her bright silver and crystal jewelry made the entire outfit come alive in a way that elevated it to a strange but beautiful new level.
A knock sounded at her door right as she was checking herself over in the mirror one last time.
She wasn’t ashamed to admit that she had been admiring the sparkly jewelry over the very human clothing.
No one called out, but the only people allowed on this floor were them – cleaning staff wouldn’t even come unless summoned.
Therefore, she wasn’t surprised to see Survii on the other side, but she was surprised to see him in human clothing.
Survii was wearing a pair of gray slacks which hugged his muscular thighs and sat low on his waist. A lavender button up shirt was stretched over his chest and rolled up his forearms, but he hadn’t buttoned it.
Over that, he wore a silver and gray vest – also unbuttoned – with delicate filigree embroidery.
His whole chest was on display and the sight made Alanna’s mouth dry and her breath still.
Alanna imagined her uncle’s shopper had guessed their sizes – probably from experience – but where she had managed to find such well fitted, expensive, and stylish clothing in such a large size in a single night, she couldn’t imagine.
Survi had pulled his hair back in a bun that nearly made her drool, and he was holding a dark gray tie in his hand.
He looked like sex. A half-dressed male with a deliciously sculpted body pushing back a few stray strands of his hair, his tie wrapped around his wrist like a manacle. Pure sin.
And not hers, she reminded herself, clenching her jaw to keep herself under control.
“I don’t know how to put this on,” he said, holding up his tie innocently. Either genuinely oblivious to her reaction to him, or an excellent actor. She was willing to bet on the latter.
“Oh, yeah…” Alanna swallowed convulsively, “Erm, you need to button your shirt and tuck it in.”
“Show me on the way. We’re going to be late. We’re the last ones.”
Were they? She had lost track of time.
And she just did it again, because she realized after a few seconds, that were probably closer to a minute, that she had just been standing there, staring at Survii.
And he had been letting her. A grin on his face. He definitely knew that the sight of his body had struck her too dumb to brain properly.
Even when she realized she was doing it, Alanna couldn’t turn her eyes away. Survii kept his eyes on her as he slowly, meticulously, began buttoning his shirt. His long, elegant fingers moved against each button like it was a dance. Enchanting her.
But instead of disappointment, now she was filled with a strange eagerness. Like he was a present freshly wrapped that she couldn’t wait to rip open.
“You look lovely,” he said, tucking his hands in his pants. Pulling his shirt down taut against his body as he did so. Highlighting the bulge from his dick. Was he really hard right now? From what? Her awkward staring as her brain struggled to do a hard reboot?
He buttoned up the vest and adjusted the collar before offering her the tie.
“Will you please, vi Vitralai?” He asked, a deliciously sexy growl in his voice. The growl that domini males used to heat a female domini’s blood. It worked just as well on humans.
And the chance to touch him was too great to miss. She took the tie, her fingers brushing against his palm, sending a zing of excitement through her, as she stepped forward.
He smelled like fresh soap and something exotically alien.
Definitely not an alien cologne as they weren’t allowed to bring such a thing to the surface, but it didn't smell like anything from Earth.
Just his natural scent – rich and playful and kind of sweet.
It made her want to lick and bite at his neck in equal measure until he held her down and-
What was she thinking?!
He had disclaimed her as his mate. He said he didn't want her!
Her body had apparently not gotten the memo, however, as her hands were shaking as she pulled the tie around his neck and knotted it neatly.
He looked absolutely sinful in human clothes. Someone had cut a small hole in the slacks, just under the belt, allowing his tail to be free. His three, dark red eyes him look like a demon come to make a deal.
She was a little too eager to offer herself.
If it took her a bit longer to tie the tie than normal, she could blame that on inexperience – it had been a while since she had been on Earth and her last boyfriend hadn’t worn them at all.
Survii didn't seem to mind as he looked down at her with an uplifted chin. She couldn’t hear his growl anymore, but she could feel the rumble of it in his chest.
She flattened his collar, straightened his tie, straightened his shirt, then just gave up the pretense and let her hands rest on his chest. The warmth of his skin through the silk shirt sent a shiver down her spine and she couldn’t stop her fingers from petting him, just a little bit.
“Very handsome,” she said, more an automatic response than anything. Not that she didn't find him handsome, but it seemed too tame a word for the fire he lit in her belly while standing there looking delicious in a suit.
“Change your mind, vi Vitralai?” He asked with a smirk.
Her hands jerked back like she had been burned.
It was a harsh reminder that he had only wanted some quick, harmless fun with her.
And she might not have been opposed had he not started out by calling her his mate then changing his mind.
Was it a lie? A misunderstanding? A manipulation?
She didn't know and so she couldn’t just enjoy mindless sex with him now.
He saw her obvious retreat and something like hurt crossed his expression. But before she could be annoyed that he dared react that way when he started it, he banished the look from his face and replaced it with his usual, charming smile.
“Thank you for your help. I’ll have to have you teach me that for next time.”
“Plan on wearing a lot of human fashion?” She asked, holding her hands behind her back so she could resist the urge to grab him by the tie and yank him into her room so she could muss his hair and suit while feeling him growl directly against her chest.
“I hope so,” he said, running his hand down the vest. “This is more formal, as I understand it. Very sleek. Don’t you think?”
She bit her bottom lip as she nodded her head. She had to agree. Even if she didn’t want to. Even if she thought she had to know better.
Her face must look funny because Survii stared at her for a moment before his expression fell.
He reached for her. “Alanna-”
A loud growl was her only warning. Then, suddenly, Survii was gone, knocked aside by Atem who firmly put himself in front of her and growled, his teeth fully bared.
Survii, who barely managed to stay on his feet, growled back reflexively. Both of them had their claws out and glaring as they threatened to come to blows.
“Hey! Hey!” Alanna quickly grabbed Atem’s arm and pulled him back. “Thank you for protecting me, but it’s okay. He was just having me help him with his tie. Nothing happened.”
Atem gathered her close and continued to snarl at Survii who, with no small amount of effort, forced himself to stand straight, stop growling, and retract his claws.
Peony jogged up to Atem’s other side, clearly left behind when Atem saw that his sister needed rescue from a rejected suitor.
“Atem, ease off,” she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him back. “Survii wasn’t doing anything. He was just standing there. Earth won’t understand if you get into a fight in the middle of a hotel hallway, okay? Especially not if claws are involved.”
Claws would mean blood drawn. Which would mean Survii would either need to heal naturally or return to the Jutiron Stor for immediate treatment.
Either way, it wouldn’t be a good look. Humanity didn’t need to see domini aggression and associate it with danger.
Alanna and the other girls knew that they fought as just another form of nonverbal communication, to settle disputes and even to bond, but the rest of humanity wasn’t used to them yet.
“You leave my sister be,” Atem growled, gathering both Alanna and Peony up and holding them close as though Survii might attack them. “She is not yours.”
Survii said nothing. Just stared with a chillingly serious expression on his face as Atem pulled the two of them away, down the hall.
Alanna couldn’t help but turn and look back at him over Atem’s arm.
Survii hadn’t moved. But that burning expression was only on her now. She nearly tripped from the heat it ignited in her belly.
And that felt exactly right.