Good Intentions (20 page)

Queen nodded to her. The guard immediately produced a wickedly curved knife, which she used to cut away the remnants of Carlisle’s shirt. “Torture time again?” Carlisle sniffed indifferently. “No,” the Star Queen said, tracing a delicate finger down his chest. The guard quickly disposed of Carlisle’s pants with the same cold efficiency that had removed his shirt. Seeing his surprise, the Star Queen smiled. “You will find that I am very different from the Star King. He is cold. Brutal. On the other hand, I am merely…curious.” Carlisle frowned. “About what?” “Humans, of course,” the Star Queen replied. She held his gaze, smiling down at him mysteriously as the guard came around the table to stand behind her. The guard put her hands to the Star Queen’s hips, slipping the skirt down. “Of al the members of your team,” the Star Queen said, slipping one lithe leg up and over his hips, then the other as the guard helped her mount him on the table, “I am pleased that you are the one we captured. I’m sure you, too, have curiosity that must be…satisfied.” Alex awoke to the oddest sensation on his hip. Lorelei lay across his legs once again, but rather than waking him with naughty indulgences, she had her face buried in his hip. She seemed to be…giggling? Realization hit him like a pie in the face. “Oh, no,” he groaned. “Master, were you dreaming of being in a…television show?” Lorelei laughed quietly. Her eyes turned up from under the veil of her hair just long enough to confirm her suspicions. Alex blushed a beet red. She laughed again. At him. Not cruel y, but definitely at him. “You can watch my dreams?” “In this act, yes. If your dreams are of desire, I can see them. And real y, with me beside you, you would not likely

dream of much else.” “God, I don’t remember al my dreams,” he said, one hand covering his face. “Are they al that embarrassing?” “No, no,” she said, stifling her laughter. “That one was just so developed and definite in its imagery that I did not think it could be from pure imagination. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.” “Yes, I do,” Alex groaned. “Perhaps a little,” Lorelei conceded with a grin, and then a giggle as Alex groaned and added his other hand to the one covering his face. “The matter will never be shared with anyone,” Lorelei said with a sweet, solemn smile. Her hands began to slowly caress him, nails dragging sensuously across his groin. “I would be very happy to play the Star Queen for you, if you like.” “Hah.” He wasn’t mad at her. Couldn’t be mad. But still … “You must think I’m such a geek.” “My feelings and desire for you are not diminished in the least,” she assured him sweetly. “Although I admit your entertainment value has increased this morning.” Alex sighed. It was hard to be mad at her, particularly when she was touching him like this. “So you saw other dreams?” “I did. Others were more vague, more down to earth as it were…though I am curious…this tal , green woman with superhuman strength? ‘Jennifer?’ She is a comic book character, yes?” This time, he pul ed one of his two pil ows over his head entirely and groaned loudly. Lorelei just laughed. “Hey, are you awake in there?” his mother’s voice came through the door. Alex yanked the pil ow down from his head to look at Lorelei in alarm.

She simply winked at him. “Lie still . She won’t notice me,” she whispered, and then pul ed the bedspread over her head where she lay atop his legs. As was quite typical, Michel e knocked twice and opened the door without waiting for an answer. They’d had to talk about this before, but she seemed incapable of understanding how annoying that was. His mother entered, once again dressed for work. “Morning,” Alex grunted, hoping to appear a bit more bleary. He wasn’t going to bring up the knocking issue. It would only make her feel bad. “Hey, sleepyhead,” Michel e smiled, putting her hand through his hair. “How are you feeling?” “Like I got beat up and shot last night,” he admitted. “I’m more sore now than I was when I got out of bed.” “Well , make sure you take those painkil ers, but don’t go nuts with them. You’re going to stay home and take it easy today, right?” “Yeah, I’m gonna cal in sick as soon as there’l be anyone at the office. I’l be good and just lay around the house, Mom. Either I sit or stand up straight or I lie flat, ‘cause everything else kind of hurts my chest right now.” “Mm-hm,” Michel e nodded. “Well …” she frowned, looking down at him as if coming to a decision. “If you want to go lie down on my bed, it might be more comfortable than yours. At least I’ve got a television in my room.” Alex blinked. “You sure?” She just shrugged. “It’s fine. I’d stay home with you myself if I could. Just—I better not find any evidence of shenanigans on my bed if your girlfriend comes over to give you some tender loving care, mister.” That only made him blink more. “Um. Wow.” Michel e rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m sorry if I was rude last night. I was just freaked out and probably still a little tipsy

and I feel like I made a complete jackass of myself. But she just seems so…Not only is she older than you, but it’s like she comes from a very different world, y’know?” “Oh, I know,” Alex said. He felt Lorelei’s grin as her cheek tensed against his inner thigh. “I don’t want her taking you off to be her kept man for however long that amuses her and then have it mess up your future.” “Not even an issue. We haven’t even talked about anything like that. I’m going to college ‘cause I want to, remember? I’m being careful, Mom. Careful as can be. Okay?” “Okay,” Michel e nodded. “I’m still suspicious.” “Go ahead and be suspicious,” Alex shrugged, and then winced at the pain it produced. “That bad?” “Probably be a lot better tomorrow. I’m just being a big baby for today. I’l tough things out for schoolleven if I’m still hurting.” She smiled a bit. “Good cal ,” she said. Then she returned to the other subject. “Anyway, I just hope you’re being a gentleman with her.” Alex felt Lorelei’s lips press sweetly against him. “As much as she’l let me,” he nodded. Michel e cocked an eyebrow, figuring she knew what he meant by that comment. “Look, I know what young men do with beautiful girls as soon as they get the chance. I’m just saying you can always talk to me about anything. Even if it’s complicated or if it’s about sex.” “I know,” Alex said. “You’re going to be late for work.”

Michel e sighed, then leaned in and kissed him on the forehead before leaving. Lorelei and Alex remained as they lay until they heard the front door close. “That was less awkward. Thank you,” Alex remarked dryly. “You’re wellcome,” Lorelei smiled, casting aside the blanket again. “Did you have anything to do with her calming down like that?” “No. I am as surprised as you are.” Alex let out a long breath at that. He needed to change this subject. “Any other dreams?” “You dreamt of our wedding,” Lorelei said, her smile now shifting into a mischievous grin. “Wow.” “It was a rather sweetly pornographic affair. My dress was imaginatively whorish.” This time, she was laughing with him. “Have you been married before?” he asked. “several hundred times,” she answered with a shrug, “though never for very long, of course. It’s not my usual approach. Ceremonies such as weddings are often problematic for my kind.” “How so?” “Holy ground can be spectacularly inhospitable to my kind, depending on the sincerity of the faith among its caretakers and the worshippers who frequent it. I have been wed in churches, synagogues, temples and mosques. Easily handled if the flock or the shepherds are far from their religious virtues. Other times, faith has been strong and I have had to engineer different plans.” “I’m not, you know, trying to pressure you or anything,” Alex said. “I hadn’t even consciously thought about this. I hope

that dream didn’t seem like a hint.” Lorelei took to her hands and knees, crawling over him with her hair spil ing al around his head again. “Alex,” she said, “it was flattering and sweet, but it was just a naughty dream, and one that I enjoyed. Nothing more. I am wholly loyal to you, and would do anything you asked of me. But you need not concern yourself on this matter in the least, for I am not troubled.” “Is there anything that does trouble you?” he asked softly. “I asked the other night, but you never asked. Is there anything I shouldn’t do? I don’t want to hurt you, Lorelei. Ever.” She looked away then, seeming thoughtful, distant, and reluctant. Alex realized in that moment that some things were likely difficult to reveal. “I guess maybe that’s a little too sensitive to just ask, huh?” he frowned a bit. His hand reached for her hair, stroking it. “Kind of like I’m asking you how to hurt you?” Lorelei nodded, still saying nothing. “You don’t have to answer that, then.” “We could have our fun with rough play,” she said. “But if you were to beat me, humiliate or torture me…intent would make al the difference. I am stronger and tougher than ordinary mortals. Against my master, however, I am quite vulnerable.” “I would never—” “I know, Alex,” she whispered. “I know. I know you. I have no fear of you. But you asked…there are al sorts of acts used to keep one such as I in line in hell .” Her voice seemed distant, and for the first time Alex heard real pain as she spoke. “I had no idea.” “How could you?” “You didn’t have to answer.”

Lorelei shrugged, finally looking him in the eye again. “I trust you.” He nodded, still stroking her hair and looking at her tenderly. “I’m so crazy about you, Lorelei.” Lorelei nodded back. She cast her gaze at his clock, plugged back in now but silenced. “It would be good if I could make a few phone cal s in roughly an hour or two. I imagine you will cal in sick at about the same time. Until then…?” she added, finishing with a silent smirk asking a very obvious question. “You think need to ask permission for that?” She felt his reaction and grinned. “I think we are both becoming comfortable with the range of equality and control in our relationship.” * “Wow! But you’re okay, right?” Diana’s concern and surprise was evident through the phone. hell yes, I’m okay, Alex thought. His right hand held the phone to his ear, but his left was in Lorelei’s hair as she trailed kisses up and down his body. “I’m fine. The bul et just glanced off a rib. Doctor said it was amazingly lucky. It’s cracked and bruised but not snapped or anything. I’m sure I’l be fine by next Tuesday, but I’m staying in bed today and I’m probably going to take tomorrow afternoon off just to be safe, if that’s okay.” “Hey, that’s fine. The file room can run without you for a little bit. Wow, that’s crazy,” his office manager said. “Well , listen, I’l let everybody know. But just so you know—don’t feel like you have to go looking outside the firm if you need to talk to a lawyer about this mess. The nice thing about working for a law firm is al the free legal advice. I’m sure everyone will want to hear the whole story when you come back to work.”

“That’s really good to know, Diana. Thank you.” “We’l be thinkin’ about you. Take it easy.” “Wil do. Bye, Diana.” He folded up his phone and put it back on the nightstand. “Wow,” he breathed. “This feels really decadent.” “Hm?” “calling in sick to work while you’re doing that to me.” Lorelei grinned at him wickedly. “I have not yet begun to shower you with decadence,” she warned. Then she rose up on her knees, sweeping her hair back with both hands, deliberately making a show of herself to him as always. Then she got off the bed and moved over to her jacket, where she retrieved her phone. Alex just watched her, enjoying the sight of her naked glory and her smile…which, for the first time ever, seemed just a touch self-conscious. “You’re staring at me,” she observed without looking up from her phone’s touchscreen. “I am. I love looking at you.” She tossed her hair back on the right side of her head, raising the phone to her ear. “I love being looked at by you,” she admitted quietly. “Good.” “You know, just two days ago I found this sort of sweetness to be violently disgusting,” Lorelei said. “And now?” “I am a demon. Hypocrisy is the least of my evils,” she winked. “Courtney, hell o,” Lorelei then said, her voice taking on a less sultry and more friendly but professional tone. “It’s Laura. How are you?”

Alex heaved himself up out of the bed. He winced a bit, with the bending and twisting necessary being the part that irritated his chest, but it had to be done. Glancing around, he thought to grab his phone as he rose to his feet and moved out of his room to resettle on his mother’s bed. His bed had become a touch small for him as it was, and he’d have been grateful for Michel e’s offer on that basis alone even if he didn’t have someone to share it with. But he did, and he was conscious of the need for extra room regardless of Lorelei’s claim that she didn’t mind. “I’m quite well , but I had a bit of a minor disaster last night and I was hoping to rely on the expertise of you and your staff in digging me out of it quickly.” She paused, reaching out to stroke Alex from shoulder to ass as he walked by. Lorelei fol owed him into the other room and watched as he slowly lay back on the queen-sized bed. Then she slipped up next to him, sitting up on her knees with her calves tucked under her. Their eyes met, confirming their mutual thought: they needed a much bigger bed of their own as soon as possible. “My car was broken into last night. I had just come in from out of town and a good deal of luggage was inside. Yes. They just smashed the passenger side window to get in. So now I have a car with a broken window and practically nothing to wear, along with several other missing vital items. I’d rather not wait on getting al this resolved.” Alex’s hand slid over Lorelei’s thighs, and then between them. She looked down at him as his touch became increasingly bold. “I drove to my new boyfriend’s place. I’m staying there. No, no, that ended a while ago. This one’s much younger but much better in every way.” She winked at Alex again as he began taking greater liberties with his touch. “So I need a temporary wardrobe. Four days or so? Mostly casual. Underthings and al – and I do have someone to impress. We might want to add in a party dress. Something for a night out, at least. You know, keep his eyes glued to me. But my plans are very vague right now, so versatility is good. “More importantly, do you think it’s possible to send someone to pick up my car and get that window replaced? We’re in the north end of Seattle. Wonderful.” Her eyes fluttered a bit as Alex kept playing around, but her voice did not waver as she gave the address. “Yes, absolutely I’l wait a moment.” She tapped a button on the phone, and almost instantly her eyes rolled back into

her head and she moaned loudly, rising and fall ing a bit on her knees. “Wow,” Alex smiled. “Thank you,” she moaned, her free hand touching the wrist that reached between her legs. “You are so good to me.” His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “So are you faking now or are you faking on the phone?” Lorelei shook her head, eyes still fluttering. “I would not deceive you in this.” “But you could hold up that poker face and casual tone if I asked you to? Even during sex?” “I could, if you asked it of me. If it pleases you. But inside I swear I would still be on fire.” He smirked. That could be kinda kinky. She moaned again, and then Courtney’s voice could be heard on the phone. Lorelei tapped the screen and raised it to her ear. “Yes, Courtney? You can? Wonderful. You’re a lifesaver. Just have whoever comes for the car give me a cal when he arrives, I’l bring him the keys. Oh, and I know I am asking for a lot here, but…yes, I expected you would say as much. Could whoever comes for the car possibly bring breakfast for two? Nothing fancy. A few treats from Whole Foods or PCC would be lovely. Wonderful. Thank you so much.” Her thumb cut the line, and then the phone simply fell from her hands as that calm eloquence was replaced by nonsensical vocalizations of pleasure and gratitude. “So…How long until they come for the car?” “She said…perhaps…oh…an hour and…perhaps half again?” “Good,” Alex grinned, pulling her closer. “Then I’ve got time to pay you back for earlier this morning.” Lorelei knelt over him on the bed as he guided her to right where he wanted her. Soon she was staring down at him,