Rogue Warrior: (Dark Warrior Alliance Book Seven)

by Brenda Trim

  Elsie wasn't just the queen. She was their heart, the root of their group. Not that they hadn't lived and fought together before, but ever since her arrival at Zeum, she had bound them in a way they had lacked. She completed their family.

  "I doona know what is going on with him, but all you need to focus on is our bairn. Let Orlando and me deal with Santiago." With a start, Orlando realized that Zander was asking his mate as much as he was telling her to leave this business to them.

  That was a far cry from the male who had carried Elsie up the stairs over his shoulder and locked her in a room to prevent her from disobeying his orders. As the Goddess had designed Fated Mates to be, Zander and Elsie had truly become one unit, and Orlando had to look away as jealousy sparked inside of him.

  "Go easy on him, Z. He didn't act out of malicious intent. He needs guidance and grounding, but if you come off as the Neanderthal I know lives inside you, we will lose him. He is going to need our unconditional love and support. Izzy needs her Uncle Santi," Elsie commented, looking into her baby's sapphire eyes that matched Zander’s.

  "I will do what is necessary to maintain order in the realm, but I promise to go as easy as that allows me. I canna save him from time in the dungeons, so doona ask that of me."

  Elsie stood on tiptoe, cuddling Izzy between her and Zander as she kissed him fiercely. "Alright, Mr. Bossy Pants, but that doesn't mean I can't take him his favorite dishes and allow Izzy to spend time with him," Elsie countered before she sauntered out of the room.

  "Those two females are my entire life, Orlando. I need you to make sure Santiago is safe and comes back here, because you know Elsie, she would be devastated. Och, we all would," Zander murmured, returning to sit down at the table.

  "Have you thought about picking him up and throwing him in the dungeons? Force him to do what’s right," Orlando asked, thinking that would solve the problem of their rogue warrior.

  "Aye, I've thought of it, but that doesna solve the issue. Santiago needs to realize on his own that what he did was wrong. That he canna go oot half cocked and do whatever the fuck he feels is necessary. He believes he is above the law, and bringing him in now will only make him bitter and angry, and he will lash oot at those around him. I willna risk my females being among those injured."

  Orlando sighed and headed toward the door. "You're right. I'll let you know what I find out." His friend had better pull his head out of his ass soon before he was so far gone he couldn't be reached.

  *****

  Orlando parked his Mustang GTO at the curb and climbed out, glancing around. He didn't like leaving his baby in this area of town. A group of young human males strode down the street toward him, their sagging pants halfway down their legs, exposing designer underwear. The boasting and bravado always made Orlando want to laugh. These humans would shit themselves if they faced a demon, yet they acted like kings of the world.

  "Nice car, bro. Check out the wheels. We could get a grand for them alone," Orlando overheard one street punk comment.

  Not willing to lose his wheels, Orlando leaned against the car and folded his arms over his chest, allowing his jacket to open and reveal his gun. He stared down the males as they passed.

  He recognized them as members of a local gang. The one leading the group had been arrested for possession of drugs just last week. In fact, Orlando had seen each of them processed through the department at one time or another over the past year.

  After the small crowd had passed, Orlando returned his attention to the large blue Victorian. The realm's medical clinic stood out like a sore thumb in this neighborhood. Most homes in the area sported plywood for windows and sagging roofs. It was impossible to tell if the house next door had been painted brown or if that was just a century of grime built up on the outside. Most were so faded they looked to be the same pastel color.

  The magic of the protection spell hummed across his skin as he stepped through the gate. The only way the clinic survived discovery and vandalism was the magic that shielded it from human eyes. Humans would see the home as being as dilapidated as the others, if they noticed anything at all. The spells served to divert human attention.

  Climbing the steps, Orlando's thoughts traveled to his rogue partner, wondering what the hell had happened the night before. A soft bell chimed as he opened the door, alerting the staff that someone had arrived. The astringent scent of chemicals assaulted his nostrils the moment he entered the parlor-turned-waiting room.

  Taking a seat to wait for one of the nurses, Orlando noticed a pregnant female in the room. His first impression was that she was stunning. As he stared at her soft, round face and long blonde hair, the female’s inner emotions battered him. This female was not just sad, but depressed. As an empath, it was easy for him to pick up her sense of hopelessness, powerlessness, and anger. Some of her anger was directed inward, but most was focused elsewhere.

  Orlando immediately wanted to slay this female’s dragon. He wanted to take her in his arms and assure her that he would make it better. The instinct threw him off guard for a moment, because he wasn't expecting it. Having the ability to feel the emotions of others often placed him in precarious situations like this, but it hadn't ever hit like a hurricane.

  Looking into her gray eyes, he realized she had been crying. The sheen of tears couldn't hide the gold specks dotting the gray. She flushed and glanced down at her hands resting on her round belly. Idly, he wondered how far along in her pregnancy she was and, for that matter, where her mate was. She shouldn't be there alone.

  A male nurse walked in and addressed Orlando. "Hello, what brings you in this evening?"

  Orlando stood and shook the male's hand. "Zander sent me to speak with Dr. Fruge, but please take care of the female first. My conversation can wait. Her treatment is more important."

  The nurse stood straighter at hearing Zander's name. It was easy for Orlando to forget that Zander was realm royalty. "We had an emergency come in a bit ago, but it shouldn't be much longer. We will be with you shortly," he told the female before heading to the back of the house.

  Orlando took the opportunity to sit closer to the female. "How far along are you? Do you know what you are having yet?" A sweet, succulent tropical scent that reminded him of a frangipani flower overwhelmed the chemical smell that permeated the clinic. Taking a deep breath, he allowed her scent to fill his lungs and realized that she was a cambion. He would have expected her to be far more overtly sexual, given her nature, and was surprised by the meek creature before him.

  The female seemed to shrink into the cushions of the couch she was sitting on, hunching her shoulders. She looked at him for a couple seconds before answering. "I don't know. This is my first time to the doctor." Her voice rolled through Orlando, warming all the cold spots.

  Mr. Happy decided those few words were permission to stand up and pay attention. The steel pole now pushing against his zipper pissed Orlando off. Why the fuck couldn't it pick an appropriate female to want? First Elsie, and now this heavily pregnant but oh-so-fucking-sexy female. He was doomed to spend eternity aching for females he couldn't have, and he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with him.

  Shaking his head to clear it of the wayward path it had taken, Orlando sat forward and placed his elbows on his knees, hoping his erection wasn't visible. "How can this be your first time to the doctor? I’m not an expert, but I do know that there are things like placenta separation and brain development of the baby and stuff that needs to be monitored closely, and you look like your due date is near."

  The female's eyes went wide. "Brain development? I didn't know. He didn’t want me to come, but the bleeding had started." The female seemed to realize she had said too much and clamped her mouth shut.

  "My name is Orlando. What's yours?" he asked, wanting to keep her talking. He had a sinking feeling in his gut about the reasons she was so shy and reserved, and he didn't like it. In fact, the mere thought had his snow leopard pacing in his head.

  "My name is Jaidis
. I heard you mention the royal family. That must be so exciting," she murmured, her awe reminding him of when Gerrick had met Shae. After Shae had been saved from captivity, her wonderment at being in Zander's presence was obvious. It was easy to forget Zander's celebrity status. Sure, he was a ruthless leader, but he never acted as if he was better than they were. He treated everyone with respect.

  "You're not a Dark Warrior, are you?"

  He cocked his head at the fear he heard in her voice. Fear wasn't the typical reaction he got from civilians, especially the females.

  "Yes, actually, I am, but don't let that scare you, I'm really just a big pussycat," he said with a grin.

  The corner of her mouth quirked, almost forming a smile. She sat straighter, and he had to swallow his groan. Her breasts were swollen from the pregnancy and spilling out of her V-neck T-shirt. The shirt stretched tight over her abdomen, and he swore he had never seen a sexier sight. Funny, he hadn't thought of Elsie as more attractive when she was carrying Isobel, but this female had him strung tighter than a bow.

  She opened her mouth to say something, but snapped it closed and curled in on herself. Jaidis hunched over, wrapping her hands protectively around her stomach. She was looking up through strands of long blonde hair that had fallen over her forehead. He could sense her fear, but her gaze betrayed it. Before he could ask what was wrong, an average-sized male came into the room with a scowl on his face.

  "What the fuck are you doing here, Jaidis?" the male barked. His appearance was a stark contrast to his demeanor. Dressed in a jumpsuit with his name embroidered above the logo of a local realm electrical company. Kenny was a slight male with short brown hair and dull brown eyes, but he was menacing as he stood above Jaidis with his hands in fists on his hips. The threatening attitude of the male had Orlando bristling to take a swing at him.

  "The bleeding continued after you left and I was worried about the baby," the female whispered, hanging her head. Orlando was shocked at the transformation in her conduct and knew immediately that his suspicions had been correct. One thing he knew, without doubt, was this mate of hers was a piece of shit. It angered him that any female would be treated like this.

  Fated Mates were a gift and should be treasured. Children were too, for that matter. This male showed no concern for either with the way he stormed in and started barking at her.

  Standing up, Orlando insinuated himself between Jaidis and the male. "Jaidis and the baby are in danger. She was right to come here. Without proper treatment, they could both die."

  "Who the fuck are you? That's my mate and my child. I will say what they need and what's best for them, not you, jackass," the male spat in Orlando's face.

  No one would talk about Jaidis or her child like this. Orlando took a step forward, but stopped short when he heard her small voice.

  "Don't, Kenny, he's a Dark Warrior," she said, barely above a whisper, yet kept her gaze downward. There was admiration in her tone even if she didn’t have the strength to stand up for herself.

  "I don't give a fuck who he is. You belong to me, Jaidis."

  Orlando wanted to drag the male out the front door and beat the ever-loving shit out of him, but before he could make a move, the male nurse walked back into the room. "Ms. Dobbs, the doctor is ready for you. Please come this way."

  Orlando turned around when the female didn't move and gritted his teeth when he saw she was looking to her fucktard of a mate for permission. Kenny shouldered past Orlando, and he heard Jaidis beg him to let the doctor look at her.

  After several tense seconds, Kenny finally grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the chair. "Let's get this over with. I have to get back at work."

  The nurse shook his head in disgust at the male before leading the couple down the hall. Orlando stood by the entry to the parlor, watching them, and was pleased to see Jaidis look back at him. At least until her mate jerked her into the room, scowling at her then Orlando.

  Orlando cursed, hoping he hadn't gotten the female in more trouble. One thing was certain. He wouldn't be forgetting those gray eyes with the gold flecks anytime soon.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Santiago shifted the gear into Park and glanced out the windshield at the barn, Tori's words haunting him. He had been so close to finding heaven between her sweet legs when it had all gone to hell. She knew he’d killed her brother and had accused him of fighting just so he could feel like the big man on campus.

  For the past two days, he'd been alternating between denying what she'd said and cursing. He hadn't slept or eaten, and a dozen different voices played through his head, the loudest being Tori's. He didn't understand why Zander, the warriors, and Tori couldn't understand what he was doing. He was fulfilling his duty and protecting the realm.

  This fight club helped keep him level and on the top of his game. Plus, it was his ticket into the criminal element of the realm. He had obtained numerous leads about the drug trade by going there, and he hoped over time that he would find the sorcerer or witch responsible for Angel's Kiss.

  Climbing out of his Hummer, Santiago slammed the door and headed to the open doorway. "Hey, Bruce," Santiago acknowledged the bear shifter who was the bouncer most nights.

  "Hey, Punisher." Bruce chuckled, referring to Santiago's fight name. For the first time, he wasn't so sure he liked the moniker he'd been stuck with. He had always been about doling out punishment in order to maintain safety for the realm, but the way Tori had looked at him, as if he’d betrayed her by killing her brother, gnawed at his insides. He doubted she would ever forgive him and he was pretty sure he would never see her again.

  Well, maybe one more time, if she fulfilled the contract to kill him. Even then he likely wouldn’t know what had hit him until it was too late. He was disappointed he would never get to fully experience her. After the small taste he'd had, he wanted more. A lot more.

  There was only one thing about her that had been bugging him. Santiago had done an investigation of his own and discovered that early on in her assassin career she had killed a male shifter who was in line to inherit a significant amount of money, and his little brother had fabricated some story and hired her to kill the male. Santiago was bothered more by that case than any other case he had learned she'd handled. It was common knowledge among supernaturals that Valkyrie were ruthless, but he had hoped she was different.

  Pushing those thoughts aside, Santiago crossed the crowded room, inhaling the familiar sweat, blood, and old barn smell. The tension in his chest that usually eased ratcheted higher, making him anxious and uneasy. The crowd was thicker than usual, and he skirted around the edges, along the walls.

  Santi caught sight of Matthew and noticed he'd made some changes to the place. Business must be good, because a fifth ring had been added to the floor.

  Out of habit, he scanned the loft area, looking for any sign of newcomers to the club. The onlookers above had to pay big bucks to sit in the loft area, and Santiago assumed whoever was making Angel’s Kiss had some monetary backing. He didn't see anything going on except the typical drinking and betting of the regulars.

  "Matthew," he greeted the manager of the club. "What ring am I in tonight?"

  "Hey, Santi," he called, looking at the sheet in his hand. "I've put you in ring five tonight against a couple shifters and a cambion."

  "Added a new ring, huh?" he observed.

  Matthew chuckled. "Yeah, business has doubled since you began coming. Everyone wants to see the Dark Warrior in action. We could probably even get away with a cover charge."

  Santiago waved off his comment and continued on his way, considering the words. It wasn't surprising that others wanted to see a Dark Warrior fight, but he couldn't shake the doubt that had surfaced about his actions, and the reasons behind everything he did. He wondered if he would still be able to get any information from others at the fight club after losing every hint of anonymity.

  Refocusing on his upcoming match, he relished the familiar rush of adrenaline as it dumped into h
is system. Loud rock music vibrated through the floor and into his body as his heart thumped along to the beat. It was integral to the setting just as much as the smell of sweat and blood. The music also influenced the audience, pumping and exciting them for the fights.

  There was no denying how alive and vibrant the fight club made him feel, but for the first time that he could remember, there was something that made him feel more alive. Being with Tori had made him feel deep down, all the way to the smallest cell in his body.

  As he sidestepped the crowd huddling around ring three, he felt the cold air seeping through the weathered boards of the barn walls. The sweat slicking his skin under his clothing cooled and delivered a jolt of energy to his body. There was no heating or cooling system to the club, which meant temperatures fluctuated depending on the season.

  During the winter months, the cold didn’t affect him in the ring as much as the heat did during the summer months. When it was hot outside the warmer temperatures, along with body heat from the crowd, made fighting brutal, but the crowd loved to see the blood fly so the owner kept the club open year-round.

  "If it isn't the hypocritical Dark Warrior in the flesh," growled a male behind him.

  Santiago turned to see Von approaching, and instinct had Santi wanting to strangle the male. Checking himself, he wrapped one hand around the strap of his bag. "Well, well, well. I see they let anyone in here. My, how standards have fallen."

  "You're one to talk. How does it feel to go from being a Dark Warrior to a murderer?” Santi cocked an eyebrow at Von’s question. “That's right, I know what you did to one of my people, and I know that you've been exiled," Von continued.

  Santiago's heart stopped for a split second as questions bombarded his brain. Surely, Zander and Hayden hadn't spread rumors that he'd been kicked out. Santiago stepped into Von's face, nearly choking on the male's horrific body odor. "Why don't you mind your own fucking business, or we can finish this in the ring," he challenged, wanting nothing more than to beat the shit out of the scum standing before him. Von needed to be stopped, and he was happy to oblige. Every second the male was still breathing was a risk to the population, and Santiago would be damned if he allowed that.