Heart of the Warrior

by Donya Lynne

  "Shit." Ari's expression was a mix of disbelief and compassion.

  "Jonas killed himself a few days after Gabe's funeral." Sev paused then said, "And I think Gina is hunting down everyone involved in Gabe's death. I've been keeping tabs. One-by-one, they're all mysteriously dying."

  "Do you think she'll come for you?"

  "Probably."

  "So, how the hell did you escape without her killing you in that factory? Sounds like that would have been the perfect opportunity if she wanted to kill you."

  "Are you ready to be freaked out, Ari?"

  Ari gave him a look. "I think your dreck blood freaked me out enough for one evening, wouldn't you agree?"

  "Oh, you have no idea."

  "Shit. Seriously?" Ari groaned. "Okay, well, if you're going to blow my mind, you might as well blow it all the way off. Let's have it."

  "Do you still have your knife on you?" He had seen it earlier when they had been eagerly undressing each other.

  "Sure, why?"

  "Take it out."

  It was time to come 100% clean with his mate. Once he shared this with him, Ari would know more about him than anyone other than his mother. He would know more than Gabe had, and there would be no more secrets between them.

  Ari sat up and reached behind him, lifted his shirt, and pulled a short, flat knife from the waist of his pants. He extended it to Sev, who took it and made a small cut on his arm and handed it back. "See that?" He held up his arm to show Ari the blood.

  Ari looked confused, but nodded. "Sure, I see it. So?"

  He licked his arm so his venom could heal the cut. "Okay, now try to stab me."

  "Fuck you! I’m not going to stab you!"

  "Just do it."

  "No!"

  "Trust me, Ari. Stab me."

  Ari shook his head and looked at Sev as if he were insane.

  "For Pete’s sake!" Sev grabbed the knife and plunged it toward his belly.

  Ari yelled and jumped up. "Fuck, Sev! Are you okay? Shit! Hold on. I’ll get a towel. Do you have a First Aid kit?" Then he stopped and looked again as Sev held the knife toward him.

  The tip of the blade was bent as if it had impacted an iron wall. The point had even snapped off.

  "What the…? How did you…?" Ari looked up at him then down at his stomach before bending and inspecting where the blade had sliced through Sev’s shirt. There was no blood.

  "It seems my mom gave me the gift of iron skin." Sev lifted his shirt so Ari could inspect him more closely.

  "No shit." Ari ran his hand over the uninjured ridges of his abdomen and sat down next to him. "But you cut yourself. Your arm. I saw you."

  "I can turn it on and off at will, babe." He placed his hand over Ari’s on his stomach.

  "Wow. So that’s how you’ve been able to fight in so many wars without being killed."

  "Like I said before. I was made to fight. I was born with the heart of a warrior then discovered I had the body to match."

  Ari turned his hand over under Sev’s and wove their fingers together. "I’m almost envious."

  "Why?" Sev squeezed Ari’s hand.

  "Because your life was all figured out right from the start."

  "So was yours, babe. You just let other people fuck around with it so much that you forgot what you wanted." He reached up with his free hand and caressed Ari’s cheek.

  "Well, I’m starting to remember what that is." Ari dipped his face into Sev’s palm, closing his eyes with adoration.

  The simple gesture dissolved something deep inside Sev’s soul, liquefying every ounce of hardness he possessed, affecting him in an almost mystical way. In that moment, he realized he literally held his life in the palm of his hand. Ari was his life, his very reason for existing. He gently stroked his thumb over Ari’s eyelid, feeling his long lashes brush over his skin. The tip of his thumb outlined Ari's thick, dark eyebrow.

  "I love you, Arion."

  Ari turned his face into Sev’s palm and kissed it. He held his mouth against the concave dip in the center for several seconds then pulled away. "I love you, too. I’m sorry about how I reacted earlier."

  "It’s okay, babe. I should have told you sooner. I was a big chicken." He made clucking noises and Ari chuckled.

  Their eyes met and Ari slid up next to Sev. "It doesn’t change how I feel about you. I think you know that. I feel better about it, knowing the truth."

  Sev’s lips met his for a tender kiss. "Is there anything else you want to know about me, babe? Anything I haven’t covered that your inquiring mind needs to know?"

  Ari shook his head and their noses rubbed together. "No, but you owe me a new knife."

  Sev chuffed and pulled Ari a little closer as the other male's fingers worked at the fastenings on Sev’s jeans.

  Mmmm, yes. The calling was making itself known again, and Sev needed to feel his mate once more.

  "Shit, babe, I owe myself a new shirt. How good are you at sewing?" His tone was teasing as he sank back and let Ari undo his fly.

  Ari smiled against his mouth, causing Sev to kiss his teeth instead of his lips. "I suck at sewing." Sev’s belt jingled as Ari pushed it aside and lowered his zipper so he could wrap his hand around the hardening length inside.

  "Mmm." Sev shifted and blinked heavily then rolled his head back. "But you’re good at other stuff."

  Stroke-stroke-stroke.

  "Such as?"

  Sev moaned, his body tensing. "Turning me on. You’re excellent at turning me on."

  Ari’s lips trailed over his jaw and down his neck then back up. "That's just the newly-mated male in you. You know how we males get after claiming a mate."

  Ari's hand felt so good on him. Perfect.

  "Maybe, but no…it's you. God, it's you. You know how to touch me."

  "That's because we were made for each other." Ari's mouth brushed over his, then down his chin and across his jaw.

  Stroke-stroke.

  "Oh God, babe. You're driving me crazy."

  Ari’s hand increased tempo and Sev thought he would lose it. The night had been an up and down roller coaster ride, but the day looked like it was shaping up to be anything but.

  "Is that iron skin of yours turned off, or whatever you call it?" Ari's voice was muffled against Sev’s neck.

  "Uh-huh. Why?" He thrust his hips into Ari’s hand.

  "Just didn’t want to break a tooth." With that, Ari sank his teeth into his neck and euphoric bliss flooded him again. This time, Ari didn’t release his neck until Sev’s orgasm pounded through him, the euphoria of Ari’s venom prolonging and intensifying his release unlike anything he had ever felt.

  He had a feeling the day would be filled with more than one encore. They were newly-mated males, after all. It would take a crowbar to pry their hands off each other.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  When Gina woke up an hour before sundown, she stretched and turned into Lakota’s warm, naked body.

  Whoa. Wait a second. How had this happened?

  Oh yeah, she had slept with him. As in, they hadn’t actually slept until after she had ridden him like a rodeo cowgirl and he was the bucking bronco. And buck he could. If all bartenders got this lucky after listening to a guy or girl pour their heart out as Lakota had last night, she imagined bars wouldn’t have any trouble filling the position.

  She hadn’t intended on sleeping with him. It just sort of happened. She had kept his water glass full, and her glass full of Vodka and juice, and had sat for two hours as he spilled his world into her lap. He told her about his deceased wife, his children, the female dreck who was the mother of his son, Severin, but he didn’t know much about Severin himself because Sev refused to see him.

  He had seen him last night, though, while visiting Sev’s mother, Felice. Shit, she knew she should have stayed at that house. But if Lakota turned into a dead end because of Sev's reluctance to see him, at least now she knew where Sev's mother lived. She would have to be careful about going that route, though. The tru
ce between the vampires and drecks wouldn't look favorably on her if she hurt a dreck to get to a vampire, even if he was a mix.

  By keeping her mouth closed and her ears open last night, Gina also learned that Lakota wanted desperately to reacquaint himself with Severin. He also knew that Sev worked at AKM as an enforcer and Lakota had told her he had designs on applying for a job there. A hundred different possibilities had rattled through her head about how she could use Lakota if he got hired on at AKM.

  At any rate, after all his words had tumbled out, she had gone to him, climbed onto his lap, and pushed his sweater up over his head without saying a word. He hadn’t stopped her. Even when she removed her blouse and lifted his hands to her lace-covered breasts, he had let her continue, even though it took him a while to relax. He admitted that he hadn’t been with a female since Mary had passed away.

  She wanted to think she had only seduced him because of her objective to use him to get to Sev. By getting close to Lakota, she could eventually find a way to get close to Sev and kill him. But deep down, she knew that wasn’t the reason. His story had touched her. He was hurting and she wanted to help him forget that hurt if just for a little while. Just as she needed to forget her hurt over Gabe's death. In that way, they had been there for each other last night. Besides, he was attractive. And when he told her she was the first female he had let touch him intimately since Mary, she couldn’t deny she had been excited. It boosted her ego to know he didn't sleep around and had chosen to be intimate with her.

  She rubbed her eyes and smeared mascara on her finger. Great. She had gone to bed wearing makeup. After throwing him a cautious glance to make sure he hadn’t awakened, she eased out of the bed and wrapped a robe around her naked body and tip-toed to the bathroom where she washed her face and hopped in the shower.

  When she came out, he was still asleep, although he had rolled over and now sprawled on his stomach. She smiled and settled on the bed next to him.

  Lakota groaned and stretched then scooted toward her.

  "Good evening, sunshine," she said.

  "Hey, you." He grinned sleepily and wrapped his arm around her waist.

  "Would you like me to order room service?"

  He moaned and sat up then tossed the sheet off before standing. Her gaze fell to the healthy weight of flesh between his legs and she bit her lip, remembering just how well he had used that incredible tool with her.

  He pulled on his boxers. "No, that’s okay. I need to get ready to go to my daughter’s house. She’s making me dinner."

  "Oh, that’s right. You told me that."

  Lakota slipped into his pants and pulled his sweater over his head. "Thanks for listening to me last night."

  "Anytime. It was my pleasure. Really." Really, it was.

  He seemed to get her meaning and smiled, a hint of darkness stroking his gaze. "Mine, too."

  "Would you like to stop by and talk some more tonight when you get back from your daughter’s?" The words came out before she could even stop herself, and she instantly wished she could take them back. She didn’t need to get emotionally attached to the material. Any of the material. And Severin’s father definitely counted as material.

  "I’m not sure I can tonight. I haven’t seen Marie in ages, so I probably won’t get back until close to sunrise.

  She breathed an inward sigh of relief. "Well, that’s okay. I’ve got things to do, anyway."

  "How about tomorrow night? I would like to see you again."

  "Sure. Tomorrow night would be great." She reminded herself she just needed to use him long enough to get to Sev, or until she was able to kill Sev some other way. Then she could split and never see him again.

  She could do that. Yes, she could. Uh-huh.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Arion awoke to the soft sounds of piano music, lilting and warm, like an embrace for the senses. He was lying on his back with his arm crooked at the elbow and resting on the pillow next to his head. Gentle light washed over him, and he realized he was alone in the bed.

  "Sev?" His voice was froggy with sleep. He lifted himself on his elbows and squinted against the light then saw Sev peeking out from behind a canvas on an easel. "What are you doing?"

  "Painting you." Sev’s gaze scrutinized him then returned to the canvas.

  "Can I see?" No one had ever painted his portrait before.

  "Not yet. I’m almost done, though."

  Ari stretched and turned to look for the source of the piano music and found the sound system in the corner. "What’s this music?" He wiped one hand over his eyes, trying to work out the sleep.

  Sev peered around the canvas again. "The soundtrack from a movie called Unfaithful."

  Unfaithful? Ari grinned sardonically. "I hope you're not trying to tell me something."

  "What do you mean?"

  "The title. Unfaithful." He raised an eyebrow and his smile widened at the way Sev looked at him.

  "Babe, you don't have to worry about whether or not I'll be faithful to you. I'm there." He winked then returned to his painting. "I just thought you'd like the soundtrack."

  Ari settled back and listened. "It’s lovely."

  "I had a feeling you'd like it." Severin flashed him a smile. "Being my music man and all." Sev worked the brush over the canvas. "What instrument do you play, anyway? You never told me the other night."

  Ari lay back down and nestled into the pillow. "Piano. Guitar. Saxophone. Drums. Pretty much anything and everything, really."

  "What's your favorite."

  Ari thought about it a second. "That's a tough question." He enjoyed every instrument for different reasons, but he always seemed to gravitate back to a couple. "Probably the piano and the guitar."

  "Why?" Sev continued to paint as they talked.

  Ari watched Sev. He admired his sleek body, long muscles, and broad shoulders. He didn't look like someone who should be painting. His blond hair was hanging down over his face and Sev reached up and tucked it behind his ear, leaving a streak of blue and red across his temple.

  "You're damn sexy," he said.

  Sev halted in mid-stroke and darted his eyes to Ari's before a pleased smile popped up on his face. His cheeks colored.

  "Look at that. I made you blush." Ari chuckled. "By the way, you've got a little paint on your face."

  Sev screwed his mouth up in mock-contempt and flipped Ari off then laughed.

  The moment was easy and playful, which was something he wasn't used to feeling after having sex with someone. He loved this intimacy with Sev. He had never had that with anyone, and he felt calm and light-hearted.

  Sev returned to painting. "So?"

  "So, what?"

  "Why are the piano and guitar your favorite instruments?"

  Oh, that's right. Sev had asked him that before he'd become distracted by his sexiness.

  "I think I like the feel of the guitar strings against my fingers," he said. "And the piano keys just beg to be touched. Don't you agree? I mean, even if someone can't play, they're drawn to peck on the keys, anyway. You ever notice that?"

  Sev considered his words a moment then nodded. "Yeah, actually. I have."

  "Can you imagine the allure a piano has over someone like me, then? Someone who actually plays? I don't know, but the piano just draws me to it."

  "I can tell I'm going to have to buy a piano, aren't I?" Sev scrutinized the painting then dabbed his brush into a dollop of red and blue paint.

  "I can bring my own." Ari glanced down nervously. Were they talking about him moving in? Already? He had to admit, he liked the idea.

  "When are you moving in?" Sev turned and looked at him dead on, as if he had been reading Ari's mind.

  "We should probably discuss that."

  "Yes, I think we'll have to." The hint of a smile touched Sev's lips, and he turned back to his painting. "After you tell your parents about us."

  Sev had a valid point. They both knew how scared he was to tell his parents about his homosexuality, and he
certainly couldn't move in until he had come out of the closet. Ari nodded to himself then cleared his throat, thinking this would be a good time for a change of topic before things got too serious.

  "So, are you coming to my parents' party?"

  Ari had mentioned his dad’s party to Sev earlier only to find out that Tristan had already told him about it.

  "I don’t know. It might be hard being there with you when I can’t show you off as my guy."

  Ari laid back down and fluffed the pillow under his head. "Well, I was thinking…." He paused as he considered his words. "Maybe I should just come out, you know? Maybe I should just tell my parents at the party that you’re my mate and be done with it." Even as he said it, he wondered if he would have the courage to follow through, but damn it, he didn’t want to keep Sev a secret forever…and he wanted to be with him. He wanted to live with him the way it should be between mates. The six weeks wasted since that first encounter were bad enough to stomach, but to hide the greatest thing that had ever happened in his life felt completely wrong. And he had hated how it felt to hurt Sev last night. Now that it was clear they were mates, he knew sooner or later he would have to come clean. Might as well make it sooner.

  "Are you serious, Ari?"

  He glanced up to find Sev had set his brush down and stepped out from behind the canvas. He approached the bed, staring at him. Splashes of paint dotted and streaked his torso and flannel pajama bottoms.

  "I think so. I don’t want to keep you a secret, Sev, but I’m scared to death, to tell you the truth. I don’t know how my father will react."

  Sev crawled into the bed and kissed Ari. "I’ll be there with you, babe. I’ll help you."

  But Sev didn’t know his father. Gregos could be an intimidating male. "Okay. Good, because I’ll need you." The party was in two nights. Was that enough time to build the backbone he would need to stand up to his father?