Substitute for Love (Alek)

[Christine Montgomery]

It was well past midnight when she knocked on his door. She knew Lex wouldn't be there since she was working on a case and was staying closer to the Ministry. Christine loved Dorian too much to let him make a mistake that would ruin him, she could only hope that Alek didn't feel the same way about her.

At some point between taking the carriage to his property it had begun to rain, she pounded harder on the door standing outside like a wet kitten teeth chattering.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

Alek had multiple irons in the fire and was currently reviewing the plans he and his most trusted wolves had devised to expand their territory. The others had since gine, but Alek still had the map laid out on the table and was staring at their next point of attack considering the possible outcomes. The banging on the door came just after the scent of wet girl (a much more pleasant scent than wet wolf).

Alek magicked his map and tactical papers away, then went to the front door. He could hear her teeth chattering through the thick wood of the door. He wrenched it open and looked upon a sopping wet Christine.

"This is a surprise," he said coolly as he opened the door and gestured for her to come inside.

[Christine Montgomery]

She didn't explain, she didn't say anything. She attacked him. Throwing her arms around his neck and fusing her mouth to his for a bracing kiss.

After what seemed like a lifetime she pulled back and looked at him, giving him the one and only disclaimer she could manage.

"I'm using you Alek. I'm angry, hurt, confused, and I just want to shut it all up for a night. I'm a mess of epic proportions. I know you have feelings for me..." she said looking away from him resisting the guilt that was building inside of her.

"I don't want to hurt you." she whispered, "Tell me we can do this without hurting each other."

She stood at the edge of desperation. She needed to be held, to be loved, to have her body worshiped and her mind fully occupied.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

Alek was thrown by her lustful ambition but the shock easily fell to the side as his own lust for her and a drive to hold power over his half-brother took place. He kissed her back, pulling her closer to him until she drew herself away.

There was a part of Alek that was developing some genuine feelings for her. It was small and unnutured, growing in the shadow of his revenge scheme on the brother that knew nothing about him. The affections that Christine referred to were a deception to further his own agenda. She needn't worry about hurting him, it was herself she should be concerned with.

So why did he hesitate?

Luckily it only lasted a moment and he had his lips on hers again. This was her answer.

[Christine Montgomery]

Kissing Alek was completely different than kissing Dorian, but strangely no less exhilarating which in her sober mind she would realize meant she also carried feelings for him.

She let him sweep her away and off her feet, she succumbed to his animal like caresses and reveled in the lean strength of him. He moved a little faster, he handled her a little rough her.

She loved it.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

He pulled her further into the house, kicking the door shut as he forcefully guided her toward the sofa. Their bodies, a tangled mess of limbs and lips, banged into everything as they moved. He pushed her against wall; kissing her deeply, groping her. Alek picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist then moved her to the nearby table. Thank Merlin he had the good sense to clear his things before answering the door, as now anything that had been on the table lay on the floor.

His lips left hers for only a moment as he pulled her shirt up over her head and flung it carelessly behind him. His sweater was next in the pile that would soon build up as they took turns stripping the clothing from their bodies until Christine was left in only her undergarments, Alek in his jeans.

[Christine Montgomery]

She was just as fierce in their steps as he was, meeting him move for move angrily discarding clothing and stripping his off of him. She was so full of rage and passion, but something else as well. She was running. Whatever demons she had just faced were still on her heels and she was attempting to lose them in the heat of lust even if it broke her later on.

Rationally she would hate herself for using him like this. She was also destroying any chance at a future they could have had by allowing him to be a substitute for Dorian. Not that she thought of him as a stand in, but rather she had given her heart away the only thing she had to give Alek was her body.

When they were nearly naked she pushed him back and fell to her knees to finish undressing him, her hand hovered at the button on his jeans. She hesitated just for a moment before reaching out.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

It was enough time for Alek to realize that Christine was not just using him to spite Dorian, the only person that Alek knew of that could make Christine into such a mess. If it had just been about hurting his brother certainly Alek would have joined willingly and sought his own revenge by making beautiful music with the girl his brother loved. But pure spite had not brought Christine to his door in the middle of the night when it was pouring down rain.

Christine was afraid. In the brief moment between when she had pushed him back and when she had reached for the button of his pants, Alek could smell the fear seeping from her like sweat. She was not only running to Alek (the easy mark for the affection she clearly needed) but she was also running away from something. Not just Dorian, she was running from all of the sh*t that had happened to her recently.

Alek would be ten times an asshat if he slept with her when she was so vulnerable, even if it would have furthered his own plans.

He grabbed her wrists as she started to unbutton his pants, and pulled her to her feet. "You don't want to do this, love."

[Christine Montgomery]

It hurt. While he was right, it felt like rejection and she had been rejected already. Technically she had done the actual rejecting earlier, but it was Dorian who didn't, or couldn't rather, be with her.

She realized then he was doing the same. He clearly wanted her, and he wasn't opposed or afraid of being hurt. But he knew that if she slept with him she would regret it and he was saving her.

She let him hold her there for a long minute while she processed the whole evening. What a sh*t show. Since she couldn't run anymore she had to stay and face the demons. She looked away from him feeling keenly embarrassed.

It had never been about hurting Dorian. She didn't want revenge or spite, well maybe a little, but what she really wanted was love. She wanted someone to love her, to make her feel like she wasn't alone, like she wasn't broken.

"I'm so sorry." she confessed, as much as she did want this, she didn't.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

He could see the gears turning in her head as she thought about what she was doing, possibly for the first time since deciding to see him tonight. He gave her a moment to process but when she turned away he could feel the heat from her face radiating with embarrassment. He pulled her close to his chest and held her.

"No need, love. You've done nothing to be sorry about."

[Christine Montgomery]

She fought him for a moment. Her embarrassment was fresh and deep, but he touched the desperate part of her that was starved for understanding. She relaxed like a rag doll in his arms, keeping her face hidden.

At some point her demons caught up with her and the thing she had been avoiding all night since being attacked by the men in the street happened. She cried.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

Lord, help a man faced with a crying woman. Alek would have done anything in that moment to comfort her, but not having any information at all he could do nothing but hold her until she calmed enough to speak. He lifted her against his chest and carried her to the nearby sofa; his intended target only moments ago though they had never made it. He sat with her on his lap, holding her tightly as she buried her face in his chest.

What was he doing? He could have let things progress and been satisfied on multiple levels but instead he had stopped her. What did that mean? Alek pondered the motives behind his action, or rather inaction, as he held Christine.

[Christine Montgomery]

She calmed down soon enough, though the tears had indeed been cathartic. She dared to look at him, "I told you I was a mess." she said in an attempt for levity.

She should have left. She should have put her clothes back on and ran out the door, but she wasn't a coward like Dorian, and truthfully she hadn't felt so at peace since she had been kidnapped as she did now in Alek's arms - barring the fleeting peacefulness that had passed immediately after she was found and Dorian gave the illusion of forgiveness.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

"A gorgeous mess," he replied with a grin. He wouldn't have let her leave even if she had tried. He gave her a wide berth but even Alek wasn't foolish enough to think a recently crying young woman walking alone in the middle of a dark and rainy night was appropriate, serial killer or not. He would have offered her a drink, but he could tell that she had already had more than enough for an evening.

"If you want to talk, you can. If you'd rather not, that's fine too." He was curious, he hadn't realized before but there was a slight tightness in his chest that signaled that he hurt for her. Knowing the reason might ease the discomfort - or it could increase it. It was risky but when you don't mind taking risks for people you care about.

[Christine Montgomery]

While she had indeed imbibed that evening she was having rotten luck with the buzz or the numbness.

"My family's worried about me. My cousin thought it'd be good for me to get out of the house..." she began and soon the words were pouring out of her. She told him how she was sick of everyone walking on eggshells around her, or thinking that she was broken. She told him that they had decided on a pub crawl and were later assaulted, when the assault took a turn for the worse she defended herself. Because Dorian had chastised her she spoke with a small amount of guilt for her actions that she didn't entirely feel. She kept the thought that defending herself felt good to herself.

She told him about going to another bar, and finally about Dorian. She left out the specifics only that they had once again argued and he left her.

"You're the first person to look at me like I'm not broken." she told him sincerely, "And of course I just have to come here and remove that illusion from your mind." she said bitterly. If he looked at her with sympathy or treated her with kid gloves now she would have no one to blame but herself.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

Alek felt a strong need to pummel someone as Christine spoke of the assault, but he was proud of her for standing up for herself. He would never wish her to be in such a situation, but he was more than confident in her ability to defend herself. He had told her as much before.

"You are far from broken," he said with a chuckle. "You don't see too many broken women fighting off six men single-handedly." Alek brushed her damp hair behind her ear. "You underestimate yourself, love. You have no reason to, as far as I'm concerned."

[Christine Montgomery]

His answer was the right one as she smiled up at him then fended off another yawn. Her story had taken them later into the night when she heard three chimes from the clock signaling the hour.

She gave him an apologetic look, "I'm sorry for...well everything." she yawned again.

Her lids were heavy, she couldn't help what happened next as she curled deeper into his arms and closed her eyes.

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

He shook his head as she apologized. She did so too often and she had no need, she had done nothing wrong. In fact, in Alek's eyes she had done nearly everything exactly as she should have. He didn't believe Christine should be locked away, hiding from a man who was able to capture her from a Ministry protected, enchantment concealed safe house guarded by his fierce Auror sister. She shouldn't have to defend her actions of fighting for her safety to the same man who was responsible for her being taken in the first place. And she sure as hell didn't need to apologize for trying to find peace in the arms of a man who had proven on multiple occasions that he was willing to go there with her.

Her yawn was infectious and he mimicked her, turning his head away out of politeness. When he turned back Christine's eyes were already closed. He tried to separate himself from her but as he moved Christine moaned softly, halting his actions. Alek conjured a blanket and draped it over her, resigning himself to holding her for a while longer until she was further lost in her dreams. The sudden quietness of the room paired with the wee hours of the night had their affect on Alek and he too closed his eyes and was soon sleeping.

They sprawled out on the sofa, Christine nestled against him. He held her tight as they slept, the blanket slipping as their nearly naked bodies pressed against each other kept them warm throughout the night.

[Aleksandra "Lex" Eiriksen]

Lex got the call early that morning, apparently Christine hadn't made it back to the castle the night previous. Her cousin had explained what had happened: a bar fight that ended in Dorian and Christine squabbling. It was not much of a surprise to Lex, but if Christine was with Dorian then perhaps everything had finally straightened itself out. Godric knew Lex was sick of her brother's moping about.

She called Dorian a few times, but received no answer. She took that as a 'well enough' sign. She also figured that if Dorian was going to take a break to snog his ex well then she would have to work a bit harder to keep them current on the case. She just needed to stop by the main estate for a book first.

She entered the estate went to her room retrieved the item and came back down the stairs. The house was quiet, she saw the door to Alek's study was slightly ajar and figured she would spend some time with him seeing as how their previous encounter was a bit harsh. She was still angry that he had gone after Christine, but now that she assumed the girl was with the right brother, there was no need to be in a quarrel any longer.

Without further thought she opened the door and stepped inside, "Alek I-"

The book fell from her hands, "What the bloody hell is going on?!"

Christine stirred awake, then as if she were realizing there was a witness to the compromising situation jumped apart from Alek, which wasn't the best idea since neither of them were fully clothed. She kept the blanket.

"Lex!"

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?!"

Lex turned to Alek, "What the bloody hell did you do?!"

[Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen]

Alek was woken suddenly by the screeching of his sister and the immediate chill on his skin in the absence of Christine's body against his. He nearly cursed at the disturbance as he looked around the room, forcing himself awake.

"Don't you knock?" he said sharply as he stood from the sofa and fastened his pants.