Chapter 421: Covenant of Shadows
Alexander held the contract for a few seconds before signing it with a stroke.
"I accept," said Alexander, handing the paper back to Stephen. "There’s a saying that a single reed in the river is swept away by the current, but many bound together stand firm. I know that it’s impossible to do all of this alone, and I owe a lot to the TMC. I can’t abandon them the moment I feel I don’t need them. I accept becoming an official member of the TMC... Let’s go to the end together."
Stephen burst into a laugh, clapping him on the shoulder.
"Don’t say it like it’s the end of the world, brother; everything will be fine," said Stephen. "Look at me... I can go with you, travel to other worlds, and do whatever I want. Ever since I joined the organization, they’ve never forced me to do anything against my will. Everything has gone smoothly, so don’t worry."
Alexander stared at him with darkened eyes, his composure unchanging.
"I hope so," said Alexander. "Because if they try to use me as cannon fodder, be careful... I won’t hesitate to drag all of you down with me."
"Relax, kid," said Stephen, keeping his smile while his eyes turned serious. "We don’t view you as someone disposable."
The atmosphere in the penthouse turned heavy, causing Marcus and the guys to swallow hard. Noticing how the pressure was smothering the mood, Helen stepped up to the table with a glass of wine and a smile.
"Come on!" said Helen, placing herself between them and patting Alexander’s back. "Don’t talk so much about work... This is a party! Let’s keep celebrating."
Helen laughed and began handing out glasses, wiping the tension away in a stroke. The music and wine caused the atmosphere inside the penthouse to shift into something intimate.
With the thrill of victory and the relief of having survived a battle, the inhibition among the women dissolved.
Maya approached Alexander as he looked out at the city from the window. She wore a burgundy dress that accented her curves. She slid to his side and ran a hand up his back until resting it on his hip.
"You looked serious over there with Stephen," said Maya, pressing against his side so he could feel her heat. "You need to relax, cousin... You’ve been under pressure."
"I was thinking about the next steps," said Alexander, grabbing her by the waist to pull her against him.
Maya let out a gasp at the firmness of his grip. Her eyes gleamed as she rose on tiptoe to brush her lips against his, letting the tip of her tongue taste his for a second before whispering in his ear:
"Stop thinking for a bit... You won today. You belong to us tonight."
A few feet away, Ms. Gable observed the scene while sipping her drink. Her dress displayed a mature cleavage. Beside her, Serena kept her eyes locked on Alexander.
"It seems Maya took the lead," said Ms. Gable with a smirk, glancing at her daughter.
"Not for long, Mom," said Serena, biting her lower lip as she walked toward Alexander.
Serena stepped up to Alexander’s other side, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her chest against the vampire’s torso. Alexander received her by wrapping a hand around her waist, sliding his palm down the fabric of her dress until resting on her buttocks, squeezing them tight. Serena let out a breath against his neck.
"You make it impossible to focus on the party when you look at us like that," said Serena, rubbing her hips against Alexander’s crotch, feeling the hardness growing beneath his trousers.
Ms. Gable joined the cluster without haste, stroking Alexander’s shoulder from behind and dropping a kiss onto the curve of his neck.
"Serena is right, boss... We’ve been waiting for this moment to celebrate," said Ms. Gable in a tone.
Aria and Isabella locked eyes upon seeing the scene. Aria loosened the corset of her outfit, while Isabella untied her dark hair, letting it spill over her shoulders.
"Looks like the main feast isn’t on the dining table," said Isabella, smirking as she approached.
"Well, I wasn’t going to stand around watching," said Aria, following behind with a gaze.
Aunt Helen, watching the girls surround Alexander in a display of caresses, moans, and friction, hit the switch to close the penthouse’s automated curtains, shutting the room off from the world.
She poured herself a glass and walked over to Alexander, slipping between the others to plant a kiss on his lips.
"Tonight we celebrate your glory, Alexander," said Helen, running her hand down the young man’s chest while the hands of his women began unbuckling his belt. "And it’s time to claim your reward."
Stephen, seeing things get intense, let out a chuckle and raised his hands in surrender.
"I think that’s my cue to leave," said Stephen, turning toward the exit.
Marcus, Ben, and Leo also left laughing, offering winks as they stepped out of the penthouse.
"Don’t blame us for kicking you out, guys," Maya said, resting her chin on Alexander’s shoulder as she hugged him from behind. "We haven’t seen him in a long time... and we’ve built up needs, you know?"
"Yeah, yeah... Don’t give us the details, please," Marcus said, holding the door open. "We don’t want to imagine the marathon you’re about to have in here."
"Just make sure the building is still standing tomorrow," said Ben with a wink. "Alexander is a monster in battle, I don’t want to know what he’s capable of in bed with all of you."
"Don’t worry, Ben, we know how to handle him," said Serena, running her hand down Alexander’s thigh. "We’ll take turns to drain him."
"Good grief, Serena!" said Leo, shielding his eyes as he stepped out into the hallway. "Too many details! Good luck, boss!"
"Yeah, yeah... Get out now, stop blabbering," said Alexander, laughing as he watched the group head toward the elevator. "We need our time alone. I can’t wait any longer."
"Enjoy the night, tiger," Stephen said right before the elevator doors slid shut to a burst of laughter.
With the door deadbolted and the penthouse enveloped in privacy, Alexander turned back to the girls. Without wasting a second, he scooped Maya up by her thighs and lifted her into his arms. Maya let out a squeal that melted into a kiss, wrapping her legs around his waist.
Helen, Ms. Gable, Serena, Aria, and Isabella stayed pressed against him, sliding their hands across his chest, unbuttoning his shirt, and breathing whispers against his skin.
"We’re going to the bedroom," said Isabella, biting her lip as she caressed her neck. "The bed is big enough for all of us."
Amid laughter, sighs, and touching, the procession moved down the hallway, heading into the suite to start the celebration.