Welcome back to Assassin's Retirement! This chapter has been on my mind for a couple of weeks. It's a look inside Alonzo's head after Zane's altercation with Crimson Comet.
If you have stumbled onto this blog story and want to start from the beginning, I have added a Table of Contents at the bottom of this page with links to the other chapters in the story.
He wanted to walk away...
Fate wouldn't let him.
Copyright Lexi Ander
Chapter Eighteen –
Guns Ablazin'
Alonzo vibrated with nervous tension. Last
night he'd told Zane about the Maricoxi, but he hadn't explained what it meant
for Zane personally. He couldn't bring himself to say anything, not yet. He
wanted to enjoy belonging somewhere for a little while before it was taken
away.
As he tried not to worry, he flipped a
chocolate chip pancake and kept an eye on Cord and his bandmates. Alonzo's nose
twitched every time Xander got close, pheromones from sex and semen clung to
him like a second skin. Xander had been busy last night. Four separate scents
wafted from him, not to mention Xander gave Alonzo an eye-full a couple of
times while he was on watch. It was as if Xander was making a silent offer,
"Come here, and I'll worship your body."
If this was a Maricoxi clan, Alonzo might
have taken Xander up on that offer, once he was relieved of his duty. But this
wasn't a clan. He'd lived abroad long enough to know very few places practiced
or even accepted polyamorous households. Besides, clans were much larger than typical
households. For a moment, Alonzo indulged himself and imagined what it would be
like if this was a small, humble clan. His heart ached with a yearning he never
allowed himself to feel over these long barren years. He could never be a part
of a clan again, but he had Zane, and he wouldn't do something that would spoil
what they could have. So when he'd made his last rounds and Xander stood there
in the window with all that olive skin on displayed, Alonzo had acknowledged
Xander's offer then politely turned him down.
He wondered if Zane knew the members of
Crimson Comet were lovers. When Zane had returned to the house last night, he
smelled of Xander, not sexually, but as if Xander had been close enough to mark
Zane with his scent. While Zane had been trying to decide what to do with the
band, Alonzo had caught brief flashes of arousal from Zane. Perhaps he would
ask Zane about that later.
Everyone kept glancing up, watching for
Zane as they talked. It seemed they had a holiday concert in Reno before the
band headed back to the recording studio. When Xander stiffened, Alonzo
listened hard, hearing one door close and then another. The band waited but
Zane didn't arrive. Alonzo quickly removed the pancake before it burned
completely. He set it aside for himself so it wouldn't be given to Zane.
"Do you need help?" Midnight
picked up the fork for the bacon before Alonzo could reply.
He didn't say anything but watched
Midnight from the corner of his eye. This man knew he was Maricoxi and a
guardian. Very few Others remembered
his people for they rarely revealed themselves to anyone. The Maricoxi hid,
sometimes in plain sight, waiting for their God to call upon them. The world
had been destroyed four times and four times their God had spared them, hiding
the Maricoxi from the destruction. There where people, Others, who would take advantage of that. He wasn't comfortable
with Midnight knowing who he was especially since Crimson Comet had manipulated
Zane.
"I am originally from Columbia,"
Midnight said as he turned the bacon. "A son of La Madremonte."
Alonzo considered as he poured four more
pancakes onto the griddle. Midnight's hair, black as pitch, was combed back
from the forehead. It didn't touch his shoulders, but the ends curled forward, still
slightly wet. His thick beard and mustache were carefully trimmed close but
still looked soft to the touch. He could be who he said he was. La Madremonte,
Mountain Mother, was a Colombian spirit much like an Irish banshee. Depictions
of her varied, never portraying her in a favorable light. She was a powerful
ally to have with her moderate control over the weather. In the past, she had caused
invaders to become confused and lose their way. At night, mortals claimed they
were chased by her screams and wails. If Midnight was who he claimed, then he
may very well know a couple of Maricoxi clans, for some clans shared the
mountains with her.
"You are far from home," he
finally replied. He was suspicious of Midnight's reasons for speaking with him.
"As are you, amigo," Midnight
pulled the bacon from the heat, moving the pieces to the paper towel covered
plate before placing new, raw strips in the pan. "It is not natural for
you to be alone." Midnight glanced at him, as if gaging Alonzo's reaction
before minding the bacon again. "Xander said Zane didn't smell like you at
dinner last night. You need more than one person in a clan."
"I have been living for years as
mortals do and have been fine."
"But, ese, you are not mortal."
Midnight leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Does Zane know you are
immortal?"
Alonzo frowned and pressed his lips
together. Of course Zane didn't know. He had barely touched on what Maricoxi
were. Giving forty thousand years of history before bed was not feasible.
Alonzo could not giveaway all their secrets, especially if Zane decided to turn
him away.
He glanced out of the corner of his eye at
Midnight, distrustful. Why was he even asking? But Alonzo was saved from
answering such a personal question by the sound of Zane and Skyld coming down
the hallway. He took the pancakes off the griddle that were ready, poured four
more, and was wiping his hands on the tea towel when Zane rounded the corner.
Butterflies took flight in his stomach.
Zane looked… Alonzo wasn't sure what adjective he wanted to use. It had been so
long since he'd been around someone who gave him this deep sense of rightness.
Everything about Zane called to him, pricking his instincts, giving him hope
that he didn't have to be alone anymore. Sure, he was immortal, and Zane was
not. He couldn't bring himself to care. Zane could draw his last breath
tomorrow or seventy years from now. Alonzo's God could appear on the front lawn
and call Alonzo to him. He would be swallowed and would not return to the world
until the destruction was over. Destruction that would steal Zane away. No,
there was nothing to be gained by worrying about tomorrow. The present was what
mattered, and he would cherish every second he spent with Zane.
The band members of Crimson Comet all
gazed at Zane with varying degrees of hunger, even Raine who sat sullenly at
the dining table. Next to Alonzo, Midnight made a rough noise in his throat.
"I hate it when Cord is right," Midnight muttered almost too low for
Alonzo to hear.
Xander prowled like a wolf, his long curly
black hair falling free to his waist. He cupped Zane's face in his hands and
kissed him soundly. Alonzo waited but felt no jealousy prick him when Zane
responded. He would have to explain to Zane that he was wired to see to a
leader's—Zane's—and to the clan's needs… though these men were not a part of
Zane's clan, he sensed the potential was there.
So when Xander back away, leaving Zane
wide-eyed and panting, Alonzo gave Zane a slight nod and smile, letting him
know it was all right.
"You have kissed him twice now,"
Anson groused before swooping in to steal one for himself.
Zane's cheeks flushed a bright red as he
pushed Anson away. Rounding the island, Zane stopped before Alonzo. His gaze
was direct and unwavering. Alonzo found that confidence sexy as hell.
"I woke alone. You should have to let
me take a shift."
"I did not mind, bello." Alonzo
couldn't keep the pleased rumble out of his voice.
"Well, I do. You don't need to carry
such burdens alone." Zane's gaze held a fierce determination.
Alonzo bit back a groan of want. Did Zane
realize what he was saying? No, of course not. How could he?
"Next time, I want to wake up with
you."
"Okay." Alonzo didn't know how
he would work it, but Zane would get his wish.
Chapter One - Retirement
Chapter Two - Normal is not supposed to be this hard
Chapter Three - Caught
Chapter Four - Crimson Comet
Chapter Five - Mountain Magic
Chapter Six, Part 1 - Harbinger of a Nightmare
Chapter Six, Part 2 -
Chapter Seven, Part 1 - Stolen Answers
Chapter Seven, Part 2 -
Chapter Eight, Part 1 - No such thing as heroes
Chapter Eight, Part 2 -
Chapter Nine, Part 1 - Dead is supposed to be... dead
Chapter Nine, Part 2 -
Chapter Ten, Part 1 - Gathering Allies
Chapter Ten, Part 2
Chapter Eleven - Combustible
Chapter Twelve - Standing His Ground
Chapter Thirteen - Choices
Chapter Fourteen, Part 1
Chapter Fourteen, Part 2
Chapter Fifteen, Part 1 - To kill, or not to kill
Chapter Fifteen, Part 2
Chapter Eighterr, Part Two
Thank you for stopping by and reading!
