Tanner stayed to himself. It had taken a lot to drag him out of the house but in the end the cousins had won. They were back at the bowling alley watching the usuals and being silly.

Colin was watching Nikolai at the snack counter with Damon. Damon looked sad and they had all found out why — his date with Lily had gone down the shitter fast after Tanner’s date ended in heartbreak. She hadn’t believed he had felt Tanner’s devastating heartbreak and walked out on him.

Colin sighed as Britt approached the group at the snack bar. She slid her breasts over Nikolai, looking him up and down. “Damn, Nik, when did you get so hot?”

Nikolai smiled and pushed her into the counter, putting his hands on either side of her to block her in. He leaned in and looked into her eyes. “Why? You wanna go a round with me?”

Britt looked up into very dark brown eyes. Nikolai Markov was almost six feet tall, and he was so hot you could melt shit on him.

“I —”

“You what?” Nikolai leaned in closer and dropped his voice. “We could have so much fun.”

Colin couldn’t stop laughing and Tanner’s mouth was actually hanging open. The look on Britt’s face was priceless. She wasn’t accustomed to having her advances taken seriously and right now she was in a full-blown panic.

“Aren’t you, like, fourteen?” Britt was getting uncomfortable.

“And wouldn’t that make you pretty creepy for hitting on me?” Nikolai ran his fingers down her arm and leaned in even closer. His lips were almost touching hers, and he smiled. “When I’m done with you, it won’t matter.”

“I — I have to go!” Britt got out from underneath his arm and ran.

Damon almost fell over laughing. “Oh my God, Nik! That was hilarious!”

Nikolai leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. He winked over at Colin. “Someone had to put her in her place.”

“Can you do that with Jaime too?” Damon choked out.

Nikolai made a face. “I can only handle one skank per night; I feel dirty.” He shivered.

Tanner turned to Colin. “Is it just me?”

“Nope, trust me I have to control myself when we're in the same room.” Colin watched Nikolai head back their way. He felt arms around him and then he was off the floor in Nik’s arms.

“Did you like the show?” Nikolai whispered in his ear.

“I think I peed a little.” Colin laughed.

“Wow, Nik, I think I got a little turned on.” Tanner chuckled.

“Yeah?” Nikolai put Colin down and gave Tanner his best seductive smile. He leaned in, pulling Tanner’s face up to his. “I could go a round with you.”

“Holy shit,” Tanner whispered.

“See? It works on guys too.” Nikolai preened.

Damon laughed at Tanner’s face. “Damn, Nik, you are good.”

Colin looked at Tanner and smiled. “Told you.”

“Told him what?” Nikolai pulled Colin into his chest.

“You know I’m immune to your powers, Nik.” Colin tried to keep his erection down.

“Uh huh.” Nikolai let him go and grabbed a bowling ball. “Let’s throw our balls around.”

Damon grabbed Nik, dragging him to the lane. Tanner turned to Colin; he was trying to reposition himself without anyone noticing. Tanner stood in front of him.

“There, now you can fix it.”

Colin shoved him. “Asshole.”

“I have no idea how you do it, Colin. Why don’t you tell him?”

“I don’t know. I know he loves me; he loves his Colin. Now I’m older and he’s older and, God, I want him so much all the time.”

“Trust me, I know how you feel, but at least you don’t treat Nikolai like a child.”

“Look at him.” Colin pointed to Nik. “He doesn’t look his age; he’s huge.”

“I’m telling you, I’m in love with Nico but when Nikolai was looking at me — my God, my legs almost went out!”

“Welcome to my world.” Colin watched as Nikolai shook his ass getting ready to throw the ball.

“Hot damn.” Evan said as he watched the guys bowl.

“Hey, you.” Tanner dragged him onto the bench.

Evan hugged Tanner. Word had spread quickly through the group about his and Nico’s date. After what had happened, Nico had taken off to Malta. Tanner hadn’t answered his calls and wouldn’t see him.

“You okay?”

“I’m doing better. I’ve been writing letters to him, I just haven’t mailed them. I miss him already but I’m so tired of this. I’m in love with him and I always will be.” Tanner sighed and straightened his spine. “But I’m going to start mailing them now. At least he’ll know I’m thinking of him.”

“I hear ya.” Evan watched Ryan with Damon.

“You guys having fun?” Colin asked Evan.

“Sleepovers and such. I swear some nights I just want to walk out naked and see what he says.”

Tanner almost fell off the bench laughing. “I should try that.”

“I wish Nikolai would do that,” Colin mused.

They all busted out laughing and the others turned around to stare at them. Tanner waved his hand. “What? We weren’t talking about you, mind your own business!”

“I saw Britt on my way in. She seemed like she was in a hurry to get out.” Evan shivered.

“Oh God, you missed Nikolai’s show!” Tanner told him.

“I did? What happened?”

“Nikolai!” Colin called him over, his heart racing as he watched him walk. The younger teen had a confidence about him that Colin wished he could pull off.

“What’s up?”

“Show Evan what you did,” Tanner demanded.

Nikolai smiled wickedly and moved over to Evan. He put his arms on either side of his head on the back of the bench and leaned in.

Evan was looking into very dark brown eyes and his heart was beating a mile a minute. “Nik?” Evan swallowed hard.

“Yes.” Nikolai caressed his cheek with his thumb.

Evan was trying to say something but nothing would come out. He finally found his voice. “Are you going to show me what you did?” His voice had come out a lot higher than he intended.

Nikolai leaned in closer and whispered, “I just did.”

Colin cracked up. “Thanks, Nik.”

“No problem.” Nikolai leaned over and kissed Colin’s cheek before returning to the game.

Tanner watched Evan. He hadn’t said anything yet, just sat there looking straight ahead. “Evan?” Tanner waved his hand in front of his face.

“Huh?” Evan blinked.

Ryan came over and noticed Evan’s blank stare. He glanced between Colin and Tanner with his brow arched. “What did I miss?”

“Evan got Nik’d. His charms work on women and gay and straight men as well.”

“He got what?” Ryan sat down next to Evan and took his hand. “Hey.”

Evan heard that voice and felt Ryan’s hand in his. His heart almost blew out of his chest as he looked into Ryan’s gray eyes. “Hey.”

“You okay?” Ryan stroked his cheek.

He almost sighed. Nikolai may have super powers but when it came to Ryan? Nik was outmatched. “Yep.”

Tanner saw one of their teammates enter and he nudged Colin. “Bradley’s here.”

Colin walked over to him.

“Greystone.” Bradley looked him over. “Lookin’ good.”

“You are so gay.” Colin shook his head.

“Yes, I am, so when are we going to go out?” Bradley moved closer, running his hand over Colin’s ass.

Nikolai was looking around the bowling alley and that’s when he saw it. Some guy touching Colin’s ass and smiling. The way he was looking at him made Nikolai’s blood boil. He may as well have been a matador waving a red cape as the rage rose.

“Nik?” Damon followed his line of sight. “Oh, whoa, wait a minute!” Damon watched Nik jump the chairs and called out, “Shit! Ryan!”

Bradley looked up to see a very large guy heading for him and he backed away from Colin. “Who is that?”

Colin turned and saw Nik in full-blown battle mode. “Oh, fuck!”

Damon and Ryan tackled Nik and held on as he struggled to get free.

Nikolai yelled at Bradley. “You want to fuck him don’t you?”

“Nik!” Colin stepped in front of Nik. “Stop it!”

Bradley backed up quickly. Nik’s palpable fury made the hair on the back of his neck stand straight up. “Holy shit!”

“I’ll see you at school, Bradley.” Colin tried to smile.

“Let me go!” Nikolai snarled.

Colin nodded his head at Damon and Ryan. They let Nik loose and Colin grabbed him. “Stop it.”

“He was touching you,” Nikolai accused.

“He’s just a flirt, Nik; please calm down. I can take care of myself.” Colin touched his face. He could see Nikolai’s black eyes returning to brown as he softly caressed his cheek.

Evan sat at the table with Tanner. “Remind me never to flirt with Colin.”

“No shit,” Tanner agreed.

Viktoriya had finally arrived at the bowling alley. As she walked through the parking lot, she heard Jordan and someone else. She rounded the corner in time to see Jordan push Jaime off of him.

“What the hell, Jaime?” Jordan backed away from her.

“Well, hello, Vikki.” Jaime smiled smugly.

Jordan froze. His first thought was Phoebe and Stefan and he saw his relationship with Viktoriya going out the window. “Vikki, I can explain.”

“No need, Jordan.” Viktoriya sneered at Jaime. “I’m not Phoebe, bitch.”

“What do you mean?” Jaime smiled and came closer.

“Jordan loves me. I know it and I trust him. You are a trashy piece of shit who will rub your tits on any poor unsuspecting guy just to get your kicks. Grow up, Jaime, it’s getting old. Just like your tits. Oh my God, they’re starting to sag!” Viktoriya grabbed Jordan’s hand. “Let’s wash your mouth before you catch something.”

“You bitch! You’re just like what everyone says — murdering fathers and a psychotic brother!”

Vikki stopped. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me! Yes, I am just like my fathers and brother. Want a demonstration?” Viktoriya laughed when Jaime flipped her off and ran to her car. She looked at Jordan and smiled. “What?”

“I didn’t let her kiss me.”

Viktoriya grabbed him and kissed him hard. She wrapped her arms around him and he picked her up. Then they were against the wall and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Viktoriya broke the kiss and said, “I know you love me, Jordan.”

“Good, because for a second there I thought…”

“Nope. And isn’t it kind of disturbing that she’s nearly twenty and still trolling the bowling alley looking for victims?” Viktoriya smiled when he laughed. “Look, I know you date when we aren’t together. We agreed to that. But I know for a fact you wouldn’t touch Jaime without gloves and a mask and a prescription for penicillin.”

Jordan laughed. “I haven’t slept with anyone. I want it to be you.”

“And I want it to be you.”

Jordan put her down and took her hand. “Shall we?”

“Lead the way.”

The first things Viktoriya noticed were her brother and Colin. Nik looked as if he was coming down from a rage. If there was one thing she knew without a doubt it was that Nikolai, if given the chance, would kill someone when it came to Colin. She hurried over and looked up at him.

“What happened?”

“One of my teammates decided to fondle my ass,” Colin told her.

“That’s not funny,” Nikolai said angrily.

Viktoriya took her brother aside. “You need to get it in check, Nik.”

“I know, it’s just that he was touching his ass.”

Viktoriya smiled. Nikolai was so in love. “Colin is old enough to take care of himself and if he wants someone to touch his ass…” The look on Nikolai’s face made her laugh. “Oh, calm down. You are so lucky Colin puts up with your behavior.”

“Am I that bad?”

“No, you’re worse.” Vikki chuckled. She saw Jensen and Hunter come in and she flagged Jensen down. “Now you go over there and play nice.”

Nikolai sighed, then walked over to Colin and took his hand. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why you put up with me.”

“Because I love you, dumbass.”

Nikolai chuckled. “I love you too.”

Tanner smiled at Colin and Nikolai. It was so obvious that their ‘kid’ love had turned into real love. He felt Damon next to him and asked, “You okay?”

“For now.” Damon smiled and took his hand. “We still have each other.”

“Thank God.” Tanner leaned into his brother and closed his eyes. Tanner already felt the void of Nico’s leaving but he couldn’t take it anymore. He had to move on.