Rogue Warrior: (Dark Warrior Alliance Book Seven)

by Brenda Trim

  The back of Von's arm swiped over his forehead in a futile attempt to clear the sweat. Santi would have smiled if he thought the male was frightened of him, but he'd watched the vampire enough to know he sweated all the damn time. "You sure you're ready to take me on? I wouldn't want to mar that pretty face of yours.”

  Santiago laughed at the false bravado in Von's voice. "You're on. Matthew," Santi called, motioning the manager over.

  "What's up?" Matthew asked as he approached their ring.

  "Change of plans," Santiago explained. "Can you switch my first match? Von's feeling lucky tonight."

  Matthew chuckled and scribbled something on his notepad. "I hope you know what you're doing," the manager muttered, walking away. It took a minute to realize he hadn't been addressing Santi, but Von, who was very pale at that moment.

  Setting his bag down, Santi removed his jacket, sweats, and shoes, leaving him in black nylon shorts and nothing else. Von scurried over to a couple males and spoke in low tones while gesturing toward Santiago. Excited at the thought of finally getting Von into the ring, Santi jumped onto the platform.

  *****

  From her perch in the shadows of the fight club, Tori watched Santiago shadowbox in the ring, warming up for his fight. She couldn't believe he was going to fight. There had been a split second the other night where she'd thought she had gotten through to him. She didn't buy his bullshit excuse about fighting to keep his head level and keep a bead on the criminal element. For whatever reason, he wanted to feel like the king.

  By the time Von and the referee joined Santiago in the ring, it was clear to Tori that a switch had flipped, and he became the infamous Punisher. His features were feral, confident, and ruthless. While a part of her was hoping he got the shit beat out of him, the other part couldn't stomach the thought of him getting hurt. The dichotomy of the assassin hired to kill the male she didn't want to see harmed wasn't lost on her.

  She blamed it on her overactive hormones. Santiago had nothing on but black shorts, the muscles of his chest and abdomen on impressive display. She couldn't stop staring at him and was glad she had chosen to remain in the shadows. She didn't want to look like a creeper, stalking the Punisher.

  Von was dressed similarly in red nylon shorts and nothing else, but he looked like an overgrown rat. If she hadn't known he was a vampire, she would have wondered when the Goddess created rodent shifters. The vampire was tall and lean, but with less muscle mass than Santiago. Von didn’t have as much strength, but his reach was long.

  "You both know the rules," the referee, a large bear shifter, began. "Keep it clean or you're out."

  With the warning delivered, the bell sounded and Santi lunged, dancing around Von. The rat-faced male was quicker than she'd have guessed as he darted around the mat. Clearly he was in his element. She watched in amusement as Santi allowed Von to exert more energy while reserving his own.

  Bouncing on the balls of his feet, when the male got close enough, Santi threw a right hook that grazed across the male's shoulder. The crowd was thick around the ring, feeding from the rush of adrenaline transmitted by the fighters.

  The symbiotic relationship between the crowd and fighters was tangible as Von puffed his chest out and acted tougher than she guessed he was in real life. A pair of panties went flying into the ring and caused Santiago to glance down with a smirk.

  Tori snarled at the male satisfaction that crossed his face, until Von took advantage and punched him in the side. Santiago's loud curses made their way to her position in the shadows. Von must have gotten a good punch in, as Santi placed a hand over his left kidney. It didn't stop his feet from moving, keeping the shifter just out of range. Smart move, she thought. If he kept Von away long enough, he could heal and be none the worse for wear.

  "That all you've got?" Santiago taunted the vampire.

  "I'm surprised you had the balls to take out Miguel with the way you dance around and avoid a fight. You know, Miguel didn't deserve what you did to him," Von spat, jabbing at Santi, and Tori's heart stopped in her chest.

  She had confronted Santi about her brother's death, but hearing Von taunt him with it brought all of her anger to the fore. She wanted nothing more than to jump in the ring at that moment and beat the hell out of Santiago.

  "Miguel was about as innocent as you are," Santiago retorted, darting toward Von. He threw a right hook that Von easily blocked, but followed it through with his left fist to the side of Von’s face. Von stumbled back and the spray of blood reached the first few rows of the crowd, making them go crazy.

  The bystanders cheered as the liquid droplets hit them. Tori was disgusted when fists filled with money flew into the air. How could they be so enthralled by the spilling of blood? She may kill for a living, but she certainly didn't get off on the gore of it.

  Chanting erupted. "Pu-nish-er! Pu-nish-er! Pu-nish-er!"

  "That's rich coming from the male who pumped his body full of drugs. We're the same, you and I," Von gritted, hitting Santiago in the chest, blood spewing with every word he spoke.

  The comment obviously pissed off Santiago, as he landed a right uppercut, sending Von to the mat. Tori wasn't entirely sure if she agreed with Von on that. Yes, Santiago had killed her brother, but she had seen the hero in him and doubted there was one ounce of anything remotely heroic in Von. Von would likely sacrifice his own mother if it benefited him.

  The referee stepped between them and gave Von the chance to regain his footing. Santiago leaned against the ropes that served as barriers around the ring, nonchalant in his stance.

  "I’m not the same as you, and Miguel was no innocent in this matter. He chose to become a criminal and sell your shitty drugs," Santiago said between heaving breaths, and Tori realized he wasn't as unconcerned as he tried to portray.

  Getting to his feet, Von waved the referee away. Red welts still marked Von's face despite the fact that the bleeding had stopped. "Listen to Mr. High and Mighty. You and I are exactly the same, which is why you were kicked out of your elite group of douche bags."

  Tori saw the rage that crossed Santiago's face at that declaration, and everyone except Von took a step back. A low, menacing growl erupted from Santiago as he charged Von, grabbing him around the waist. The cheering crowd faded away and all Tori could think about was Santiago's accusation and the fact that Von hadn't denied that Miguel had been selling drugs. She knew Von was a drug dealer, had learned that in her due diligence investigation, but she had been so bent on vengeance for her brother that she hadn't let Von's criminal activity stop her from accepting the case.

  Santiago suddenly hefted Von and slammed him to the mat, landing on top of him. Von bucked and snarled, trying to break free, but Santi held firm and managed to hit Von in the chest repeatedly. Hands dug into his back, and it was Santiago's turn to shed blood. That didn't deter the shifter in the slightest as he continued to pulverize the vampire beneath him.

  Blows landed and flesh gave way as screams erupted from Von's throat. The referee tried to stop Santiago, only to back away in the next instant. Tori strained to see what had the referee backing up. She'd been wrong; he wasn't walking away. He was approaching Santiago from behind.

  Pulling his leg back, the referee slammed his knee into Santiago's back and a feral howl left the shifter's throat, making Tori's hair stand on end. In a blinding flash of light and a moment of magic, Santiago shifted into a large brown wolf and threw his head back in a howl that was more of a war cry in Tori's opinion.

  Santi was no longer the Punisher, he was a feral predator, and Von was his target. The crowd had finally gone silent as they stared at Santiago's wolf, which was the size of a horse. Despite the look of death in its eyes, the wolf was the most gorgeous creature she had ever seen.

  His fur looked like silk, and she wanted to go and touch him to see if it felt as luxurious. As if sensing her scrutiny, the wolf looked in her direction and locked eyes with her. The animal clearly had a better sense of smell than Santiago. The connection
she felt to Santiago sharpened as the wolf regarded her, and shivers raced down her spine.

  Von crab-crawled backward, trying to flee to safety as the wolf stalked his prey. Tori had no doubt that the wolf was going to kill Von and end his pathetic existence. Nails scrabbling for purchase on the soft mat echoed around the quiet barn as the wolf charged the vampire. Von was fast and managed to get to his feet at the same time the wolf snapped its jaws around his ankle.

  The vampire cried out and fell to his ass, reaching for the flesh and bone still caught in Santi's massive jaws. The referee reached through the ropes and grabbed a cattle prod from the manager Tori had seen talking to Santi earlier. Shifting was prohibited unless you were fighting another shifter.

  This wasn't going to end well for Santiago, and she almost felt bad for the proud male, but he'd lost control and deserved what was coming. This was her first glimpse of how easily he may have lost control with her brother, but it had taken a lot to get him there, and she had to shove away the questions about what her brother had done to provoke him.

  The scent of blood, rich and coppery, was thick in the air. She didn't know much about shifters, but knew that having the taste of blood on its tongue was driving him. Releasing Von's ankle, Santi went for his throat. Fangs sunk into flesh, refusing to let go.

  The referee quickly made his way over with the sparking prod held aloft. Smoke surrounded the implement as the referee held it to Santiago's wolf and the pungent smell of singed fur replaced that of blood. The wolf yelped and went still. Dropping the weapon, the referee pried at Santiago's jaw before he zapped the wolf again.

  In another blinding flash of light and magic, Santi shifted back to his human form. The referee kicked him to his back and slammed his boot on his throat. Tori understood now why they used bear shifters in the ring. No other supernatural had the innate strength in human form, and Santiago wouldn't have been stopped before he'd killed Von.

  "You're done, Punisher," the referee snarled. "Von is the winner by default," the bear announced to the crowd before he turned his focus back to Santiago. "You pull that shit in my ring again and it will be the last time you ever step foot into this club."

  Getting to his feet, Santiago ducked beneath the ropes and stalked toward the back of the fight club. In the next moment, Tori jumped up, heading right for him. She had no idea what she was doing, but her feet wouldn't obey her order to turn around and leave. She placed her body directly in his path, and he bumped right into her.

  "What are you doing here?" he croaked, rubbing his throat. No doubt it hurt like a bitch, but his natural healing ability had already kicked in and the marks were disappearing.

  "Watching you be a dumbass. What was that little display of proving your dick is bigger?" Her challenge had him grinning.

  "Did you hear what Von said? About your brother?" he asked, diverting attention from himself.

  "Von never actually said Miguel sold drugs. But that’s not the issue. Even if he had, you think that absolves you from all responsibility for Miguel's death? And I still don't understand why a Dark Warrior would need underground fighting to make him feel worthwhile."

  He grabbed her hand and barked, "Come with me," dragging her along behind him. She had no idea where he was taking her, but if it was a fight he was looking for, he wouldn't win this one either.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Santiago didn't let go of her hand until they were in a room at the very back of the barn. She had no idea if this was part of the original barn, but the owner had renovated it, added drywall, and soundproofed the place, because once he shut the door, all noise disappeared.

  Tugging her hand free, she prowled around, needing to put space between them. His intoxicating scent clouded her mind and skin contact had it in tatters at her feet. There was no reason to give him more power over her than he already had.

  Taking in the area, she noticed one corner had a small, enclosed shower and a place to change. There were two large sofas in the middle of the room, along with a coffee table littered with half-empty cups. "Is this the fighters’ lounge?" she asked, picking up a magazine and laughing at the naked female displayed on the cover. Eyebrow arched, she tossed it back to the table.

  One corner of his mouth lifted as he stood by the door watching her. He was covered in bruises and had two deep burns in his side from the cattle prod, but he was still the sexiest male she'd ever seen. "Yeah, this is where we go to kill time between fights. I didn't think I would see you again after the other night," he admitted.

  Hiding the hitch in her breath at the pained sound to his voice, she kept her back to him. "Yeah, I came to finish my job." She lied. She wasn't going to tell him that she couldn't stop herself from following him, or that she had wanted to see him in action.

  He walked over and dropped his bag on the floor and took a seat in the middle of the dark blue sofa, draping his arms over the back. He made a ridiculously hot picture with most of his sweaty body on display. "I figured as much. Can a dying man have one last request?"

  She plopped down onto the other sofa, gazing at him while she took his measure. What was he up to now? "What's that, to admit that my brother wasn't so innocent? You think I’ll just dismiss what you did that easily?"

  He sat forward and rested his elbows on his knees, leaving his hands to dangle between his legs. Her eyes strayed to an area of his body they shouldn't, and she forced her gaze back to his. His brown eyes glowed with obvious interest. "How can you deny what your brother was doing? Are you really okay with the fact that he sold drugs? I’m, sorry, dulzura, but your brother is responsible for the deaths of many and that couldn't go unanswered. If it hadn't been me, the realm police would have gotten to him eventually."

  His excuses only pissed her off more. "Realm police wouldn't have killed him. He may have been in jail right now, but he would still be alive and I would have my brother."

  Locked gazes battled for truth. What she saw behind those beautiful browns was sorrow and regret. "You have to believe that I never meant to kill him. I wanted to teach him a lesson, nothing more. I wanted him to have a taste of what he was doing to others and understand that he had to stop. In hindsight, I probably should have handled it differently."

  "Probably?" she spat, surging to her feet. "Of course you should have handled it differently. Why couldn't you have arrested him instead? Then I would still have family left."

  "I ask myself that same question every single day. No matter how much I want to take this back, I can't change what was done, and for that, I am truly sorry." There was no denying the sincerity in his tone.

  All of a sudden, killing this male seemed a feat she couldn’t fulfill. What she needed was to get out of close proximity before he convinced her of more.

  He caught her hand as she passed him, stopping her progress to the door. "Don't go. I didn't get my dying wish yet."

  Energy crackled between their palms and caused her mind to go momentarily blank. He had a devastating effect on her, no doubt about it. "What is that?" She was crazy for hesitating. She suspected what he wanted, so why was she torturing herself more by staying?

  "I don't want to die without being inside you at least once," he murmured, pulling her onto his lap. His smirk told her he didn't believe for one second she would kill him, and that irritated the crap out of her. Usually, her marks never saw her face before she took them out.

  Admittedly, she was off her game, and yes, he’d thrown her for a loop. She couldn't deny that he made her question everything. She wanted vengeance for her brother's death, but wasn't sure whose head deserved the bullet more. Santiago’s? Or Von’s?

  "Don't you think that's a conflict of interest?" she asked, her body trembling against the closeness. His skin bordered on fever-hot and was kindling to her burning desire. Strong, calloused fingers guided her chin up, and he stole her lips in a searing kiss.

  “Yes,” he groaned, “but I want you to be the last thing I taste,” he confessed, his eager tongue delving inside her
mouth in long strokes, giving her what she had been craving for too long. Hearing his words, her resolve shattered.

  Swinging her leg around to straddle him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and conceded to the chemistry between them. Perhaps if she fucked him, she would get him out of her system and could think more clearly.

  Twisting her hips as much as she could, she kissed a path down his neck, tasting the saltiness on his sweaty skin. “Dulzura, you have to stop doing that."

  "You keep calling me that. What does it mean?" she asked as he slipped a hand under her shirt and ran it up her back. Her retracted wings vibrated under his touch. She shivered as his hand skimmed the area in the middle. It was by far the most erogenous zone on her body.

  "Mmm, don’t you know Spanish?" he murmured, kissing a trail across her neck. His sexy voice went straight to her core, which responded with an aching clench.

  "Would I be asking if I did?" she teased, biting his earlobe. Her voice came out haggard and breathless, followed by a laugh when his lips tickled the sensitive area at the base of her neck.

  Chuckling, he unhooked her bra, leaving his hot palm to brand the flesh at her back. His touch flamed her arousal and she ground against his erection, needing stimulation. "I like your sass, dulzura, which means sweetness."

  "I suppose you call all the women that?" She wanted to sound irresistible and alluring, but faltered as his fingers danced around her rib cage to tease the underside of her breast. Done with her constricting shirt, she removed the fabric and allowed her bra to fall off her arms. She released her wings and they instantly flared behind her. His eyes lit up as he looked her over, appreciation obvious.

  He placed warm, wet, openmouthed kisses along her collarbone, taking time to dip lower when he reached the middle. Her nipples hardened, needing attention from those full lips. "I've never said that to another female in my life."